


The Sea Captain's House - Part 3

by Beautyinthemoonlight



Series: The Sea Captain's House [3]
Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-15
Updated: 2017-04-01
Packaged: 2018-09-17 16:39:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 45
Words: 270,286
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9333710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beautyinthemoonlight/pseuds/Beautyinthemoonlight
Summary: Ali Krieger is a sales rep on the North Shore of Boston and Ashlyn Harris is the starting goalkeeper for the Boston Breakers.  They start 2017 newly engaged and eager to get married and continue their life together.  They've each conquered so much to get to this point, but will old demons resurface and trip them up on their path to idyllic happiness?  Will life's surprises keep getting in the way?  Or will their drive towards a family and future in the big old house steer them clear of trouble?





	1. Things to be Done

**Author's Note:**

> This story picks up right where Part 2 left off. It's New Year's Day 2017 and the ladies are energized and ready for all of the amazing things they hope are coming their way. There will be puppies and babies and exciting new financial opportunities and a romantic wedding for our two favorite gals. I promise you a beautiful wedding in this story. There will be struggles too.

New Year’s Day 2017 dawned and Ashlyn blinked open her eyes in the early morning sunlight. The first thing she saw was her beautiful fiancée, snoring lightly on the pillow next to her. Over the past year the keeper had noticed that whenever Ali drank too much she slept on her stomach, at a bit of a diagonal, with her arms out and her legs spread-eagled. Sometimes Ashlyn would get the brunette’s head tucked up against her neck or shoulder or armpit in that position. Other times, like that morning, Ali’s head would be on the far side of the bed and only one of her feet or shins would be touching the blonde. It had been a wonderful day and a remarkably romantic night between their illicit swim and their momentous New Year’s kiss and the fireworks. The fullness and happiness of their lives, marked by the perfect kiss the night before, still took Ashlyn’s breath away, even seven hours later in the stark light of morning. She was filled with energy and love and light and she couldn’t wait to share it with the world. Ashlyn felt like she could solve any problem put before her, work out any equation the most brilliant mind could think of. Every January she felt a little bit like this. She was re-charged and re-energized every time a new year started. But this year she felt like she might explode with excitement. There were things she wanted to do and get done and, for perhaps the first time in her life, she wanted to make a list just for the joy of crossing things off of it. The keeper had plans to make and things to do and she was impatient to get started.

“I didn’t expect to see you up so early” Deb chuckled as she hugged the blonde and waited for her coffee. “Didn’t sleep well?”

“No, I slept great” Ashlyn replied as she started turning the bacon over one last time in the frying pan. “I’m just excited I guess. It’s a new year and I’m just happy.” She grinned sheepishly at Deb. “I hope you don’t mind that I made breakfast.”

“Of course not honey. I’m thrilled” she laughed as she took a seat at the kitchen table with her caffeine fix.

Ashlyn put down two plates full of fluffy scrambled eggs, home fries and bacon and took a seat across from Deb at the table.

“So what’s got you all excited then, Miss Ashlyn?”

“The wedding” the keeper answered matter-of-factly, eyes twinkling and face grinning.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but I didn’t have you pegged as a wedding nut like Alex and Syd” Deb shook her head and smiled back at the adorable blonde.

“Oh I’m not. I honestly couldn’t care less about anybody else’s wedding usually.” She realized how insensitive she sounded and looked up at the older woman and shrugged apologetically. “But I can’t wait for ours and I want to get it all planned out right away.”

“She’s starting to rub off on you honey. Better be careful. Don’t let her tame you too much now. She needs some of your wildness in her life just like you need some of her order in yours” Deb warned with a soft smile.

Much like the year before, Ashlyn and Ali helped Deb take down the Christmas decorations and remove all the ornaments from the tree. By the time Kyle and Nico got to the house for lunch all that was left was to take the tree out of its’ stand, bag it and carry it outside. Ali had woken up with a bit of a hangover but nothing too serious. After she took a shower and ate some of Ashlyn’s delicious breakfast she felt much better. She had come downstairs earlier that morning to hear her fiancée and mother talking about their wedding. She didn’t think her heart could get any happier than it was the night before, but then she heard Ashlyn explaining to Deb how they didn’t want to wait any longer than they absolutely had to for the wedding. If it were up to them they’d have it next month but they both knew there was no way to plan something that fast, not even the modest wedding they had in mind.

“My head hurts but the rest of me is sooooo happy to hear you two planning the wedding already. I just love you both so much.” The brunette hugged each woman from behind their chairs and kissed their cheeks before sitting down.

It was later in the afternoon that they found themselves sitting around the kitchen table again. Kyle had joined them while Nico and Mike watched college football in the living room.

“So how fast do you want to do this?” Kyle clarified as he pulled his sister’s notebook across the table so he could look at her notes.

“I’ve always wanted to get married on our actual anniversary, February 8th“ Ali began. “But that’s way too soon. And we don’t want to wait a whole year either...”

“So we’re ok picking a different date sometime this summer instead” Ashlyn interjected as Kyle flipped through some pages.

“When this summer?” Deb asked with a smile. The woman had been smiling the entire day. She was in her glory with both of her kids with her and happy with boyfriends and fiancées. Add to that the joy of planning her daughter’s wedding and it was almost too much for her. “May or September or something in between?”

“Her schedule hasn’t come out yet so we’re not sure” the brunette nodded at Ashlyn as she spoke. “The team usually gets a couple of off-weeks during the season so we’d like to have it at the end of one of those weeks off.”

“Hopefully in August” the blonde added “before Ali gets totally swamped at work.”

“We wouldn’t be able to go on our honeymoon until January, but that’s ok. We don’t mind.” Ali met the keeper’s eyes across the table and they shared a sweet look.

“When does your schedule get announced?” Kyle asked. “That’s the key to everything, right?”

“Yep. I already talked to Lee, our general manager, and told him I need to know as soon as possible because I don’t want to miss a game. And I made it very clear that I would definitely be missing a game if it came down to not being able to wait for the schedule and having some sort of conflict.”

“So we’re targeting August. Usually they have a week off that month. They have for the last two years anyway” Ali offered. “And we’re thinking of trying to get the Hammond Castle” she said with an excited shrug of her shoulders and squeal.

Both Kyle and Deb raised their eyebrows and smiled in excitement at Ali’s confession. 

“You were a good friend to let Syd have the Turner mansion” Kyle said and nodded at his sister approvingly. “That place was absolutely perfect and the whole time we were there I kept thinking how beautiful your wedding would have been there.” It was Kyle’s turn for an admission. “But the Hammond Castle...well...” he quirked an eyebrow and tilted his head excitedly. “That would be the most amazing wedding ever.” 

“We’re trying not to get too attached to the idea yet because they book up fast during wedding season, whatever that is exactly” Ashlyn said, trying to contain her excitement. “We might not be able to get a date that works.”

“Well, you’re going to need to come to New York so we can get you a dress fast. Let’s do that right away” Kyle looked expectantly at his sister as he opened the calendar on his phone.

“What about a suit for Ash?” Ali asked as she opened her own calendar.

“Honestly, she’s better off going to Joseph Abboud up in Boston. He’s got the new factory up there too” Kyle explained.

“Yeah, you went on that big private tour with the man himself. Of course” Ashlyn grinned. “I keep forgetting how famous you are.”

“I mean, it would be great for you to come see me too, but I’d still get your suit in Boston if it were me.” Kyle winked at her as he looked up from his phone. “And you’re the famous one. I saw that joint interview with Julian Edelman you did. You guys were great together.”

Ashlyn, Kristie Mewis, Samantha Mewis and Stephanie McCaffrey had participated in a charity shopping event that the New England Patriots organized a couple of weeks before Christmas. The Patriots players and other local athletes were each paired up with a needy child from one of the local homeless shelters. They had dinner and then went to the huge Bass Pro Shops store near Gillette Stadium to shop for gifts for themselves, warm winter clothes for themselves and they even got to select a gift for one of their loved ones that they wrapped with their athlete. Ashlyn and the other athletes were personal shoppers for their kids. It was a great event and the Patriots had been doing it for almost twenty years. Ashlyn and Julian spent a lot of time hanging out, when they weren’t focused on their kids, and some of the local media picked up on their chemistry. A funny and surprisingly poignant interview between the two aired and had become pretty popular. The joke was that they were long lost siblings that had been separated at birth. He was a year younger and an inch taller than the keeper so they started calling each other their half-twin.

“He’s a cool dude. You’d like him” Ashlyn smiled shyly. 

“I’ll bet he gets his suits in Boston too” he winked again.

//

Nico and Kyle flew back to New York the next day and Ali and Ashlyn went golfing with Deb and Mike. Mike was a very good golfer, almost a scratch golfer. Deb had a more complete game than Ali did, she was better with her irons and Ali was better off the tee. But Ali knew she had to work on her short game and her approach shots. They were the finesse shots that took lots of repetition and practice and she just hadn’t dedicated enough time to get better. Deb golfed all the time with her husband. Ashlyn was still pretty bad. Her drives off the tee continued to be the best part of her game but even they went haywire sometimes if she tried too hard or got in her head about it. They spent the rest of the afternoon planning the wedding and relaxing at Deb’s house. Tuesday was a carbon copy of Monday and the brunette was thrilled to be able to play golf two days in a row in January. Ashlyn would rather have done something else instead of golfing again but she had promised herself that she would work on her game that year and there was only one way to do that. She wanted to be able to participate in some of the charity golf events and hold her own. And, if she was honest, she loved watching Ali in her cute golf skirt that showed off the sexiest legs on the planet. 

By the time they got back home on Wednesday afternoon they had narrowed down the choices for several parts of the wedding. They had decided on a DJ instead of a band. The flowers had been discussed at length and although no major decisions had been finalized, they had eliminated dozens of choices and made lots of progress on both style and type and color of flowers. They wanted to stay traditional black tux and white gown but Ashlyn had permission to do her own thing with the tux. The accent color for the wedding was probably going to be a pale lilac purple. One of the toughest decisions was about the bar. They finally agreed that they wanted a full bar at the wedding and they would have to trust their recovered relatives to take care of each other. The biggest loose end was the food, both the dinner and the cake. If they could get the Hammond Castle then the wedding planners there would recommend caterers that knew the ins and outs of the venue and they could just make their selection from among those caterers. 

Ali and Kyle made plans for her to visit NYC for a weekend later that month to start looking for the perfect dress. They were working on the theory that the dress would take six months to make so they wanted to get moving on that right away. If they got lucky and Ali fell in love with something that was more readily available, then great. That was the main point of going to NYC to look. There were more wedding dresses there for her to choose from. She wasn’t going there to get some fancy custom-made dress.

The easiest part had been the maid and matron of honor and best men. Ali wanted Sydney and Kyle to stand up with her on the most important day of her life. And Ashlyn wanted Whitney and Chris to do the same for her. At first they had thought about having a bigger wedding party but, as usual, they had both agreed to that thinking the other one really wanted it. The more they talked about it the more they realized they wanted it smaller and more intimate. They hadn’t told anybody but Deb about the four members of the wedding party. But they would ask them in the next couple of weeks. The NWSL draft was coming up the following week and Whitney was coming up to be a part of it this year, in true captain-like fashion. She and Ryan were coming up for a week and Ashlyn was excited to see her best friend. The keeper was also expecting some sort of answer on the 2017 season schedule that week. There was typically a lot of activity from the league offices surrounding the draft because all of the teams and coaches and usually owners were in the same place for a few days and could get some decisions made together. That schedule was the only thing causing them stress in their lives at the moment.

//

Friday was January 6th, Epiphany, and Ali was excited to celebrate the new holiday. She had a couple of work appointments that morning so they agreed to exchange their gifts later in the afternoon. Ashlyn capitalized on the extra energy she had coursing through her body by working in her studio. She felt inspired to sketch and took the photograph of the cemetery off of the cork board and clipped it to the side of her new wooden easel and got to work. The blonde had decided to go back to what she knew she was good at and start there – sketching with charcoals and pencils. She would move on and use more colored pencils and try to come up with something for Lilian that way. The keeper wasn’t afraid of working in a more challenging medium, oil paint on canvas, but she had realized, when she had allowed herself to think about it without automatically beating herself up for failing, that she might get her mojo back doing something that came easier to her.

When Ali walked into the mudroom just before 3pm she was freezing. It was one of those cold, raw days that chilled you to the bone if you were out in it for very long. She dropped her work case, it had handles on it and was sort of like an open briefcase that folded to hold all of your folders and paperwork in one place so she could easily move it from her desk to her front seat every day, on the bench and shivered. The brunette took her winter hat off and heard the comforting crackle of the fire coming from the double-sided fireplace in the kitchen and family room.

“Hi sugar plum” Ashlyn greeted her cheerfully as she stepped into the mudroom. “I just started the fire and I think it’s just in time. You’re freezing!” she remarked as she kissed Ali’s ice cold lips. “Come on, let’s get you warmed up.”

The keeper helped her take her winter coat and scarf and boots off and hugged her from behind as they walked together towards the small fire. 

“Where the hell were you that you’re so fucking cold Al?”

“G-George’s job in An-Annisquam” she stammered out.

Ashlyn stood the brunette up close to the fire and rubbed her arms and legs and then turned her around and did the same thing again.

“Got their delivery this morning” Ali continued, starting to sound more normal again. “Had to help them locate all the windows because the delivery stickers didn’t have the location line printed on them.”

“What? How is that even possible?” Ashlyn asked, confused. She didn’t know all the ins and outs of her fiancée’s job by any means, but she knew enough to realize a fuck-up when she heard it.

“I have no idea. Never happened to me before.” Ali hugged the blonde tight, enjoying her body heat while the fire warmed up her back. “Mmmmmmm, you’re so warm.”

“Is that why you’re home so late?” Ashlyn held her close and kept rubbing her arms and back and ass. Her ass was cold too.

“Yeah, we had to measure all the actual windows from the delivery and then figure out which line item they were from the contract so we could identify which room and opening they were supposed to get installed into.” She turned in the blonde’s arms to warm her front with the fire. “Total fucking pain in the ass and huge waste of time for me. But now they can start installing the windows tomorrow on schedule. The house wasn’t heated. The clients aren’t living there while George renovates and builds the addition onto the back. I think it was colder inside than it was outside today.” She chuckled but it was true. The inside of an unheated house was just as cold as the outside air but it didn’t get any sunlight to help warm it up a little. “I love doing projects on the ocean, you know I do” she said as she leaned her head sideways against her keeper’s who had rested her chin on Ali’s shoulder. “But they’re always so damned cold and windy in the winter.”

An hour later, after she had warmed up enough to feel human again, the brunette smiled as Ashlyn patted her feet. They were sitting in the two comfy chairs in front of the fire and Ali had her legs stretched out with her feet getting rubbed in the blonde’s lap.

“Are you sure you’re warmed up? I don’t think I can remember you being quite that frozen.”

“I’m good. I promise. I would have worn my long underwear if I had known I was going to stand in the cold for three hours.” Ali put her feet on the floor and leaned across to kiss her sweet fiancée. “Thank you honey.”

“So do you want to open your presents now?” the keeper asked with excitement in her voice and her eyes. She had been waiting all afternoon for Ali to come home and her patience was wearing out. 

“Absolutely!” the brunette replied and stood up. “I’m going to get a glass of wine, it’s Friday and it’s almost 5 o’clock” she giggled. “What do you want babe?”

“I’ll get it” Ashlyn answered and moved into the kitchen before Ali could argue. “You want the red that’s open or something else?”

“The red please” Ali answered as she turned to admire the tree for one of the last times that Christmas season. 

Ashlyn came in with a plate full of cheese and crackers and salami and olives and grapes. She handed Ali her wine glass and set the plate on the small table between the two chairs that the brunette had swiveled around to face the tree.

“Ooooh snacks!” Ali enthused as she pecked the blonde on the lips with a big grin. “How did you do that so fast?”

“I had it ready for you earlier and just stuck it in the fridge” she shrugged as she held up her cocktail glass. “Cheers!”

Ali clinked her wine glass to it and said “Happy Epiphany sweetheart.”

They stood for a couple of minutes and gazed at the tree. It was looking pretty tired. They had been very good about watering it every day but Mrs. Riley had only come twice, as scheduled, while they were away for the week.

“It looks a little sad” Ashlyn said quietly. “But that’s what happens when you leave it up for a whole extra week after New Year’s I guess.” She smiled as she turned to see Ali’s happy little face, grinning at the tree. “I’m sorry it’s only partly decorated hon. That must be driving you crazy” the keeper reached over and fed the brunette an olive and a piece of cheese in one bite. 

“That’s ok” she replied, after a minute of chewing, and smiled softly at Ashlyn. “I don’t mind works in progress.”

It was just dark enough outside so the blonde moved around the house with the remote and turned on all the window candles one last time while Ali lit the tree and brought the last six presents out from under it. They decided to take turns and open one gift at a time. Ashlyn wanted Ali to go first and the brunette, who would normally have argued for her adorable keeper to go first, agreed without comment. 

“Now remember” Ashlyn warned “these are just small things. They’re not supposed to be expensive or super amazing or anything.” She quirked her eyebrow at the brunette. “Did you follow the rules princess?”

“I did, I promise.”

Ali unwrapped a new golf glove for her first gift. She had admired it in the pro shop at the club in Miami and the blonde had slipped away later to buy it. Ashlyn opened the largest gift first. It was a UNC snapback and the keeper jerked her head up quickly to look at Ali.

“You spent money on something from UNC? I’m shocked.” She teased as she picked up the hat, adjusted it and put it on her head. She was about to tease Ali some more when she realized that this was the snapback she had lost down in Provincetown in the lesbian club as they had made their escape. “Holy shit Al. How did you get this? They don’t make these anymore.”

Ali grinned at the look of amazement on her favorite face. “I had to go on EBay and negotiate with some teenager for a couple of weeks but I got it. It’s not your actual hat, at least I don’t think it is” the brunette chuckled. “They probably mounted that on the wall down there like a trophy.” 

The second gift Ali opened was a shot glass from the hotel of cabins up in Maine they had stayed at with Niki and Molly before Christmas. They had been out of stock during their visit so the blonde had done something similar and gone online to try and find one. 

“Oh, I was so bummed that they didn’t have these when we were there. Thank you so much babe. I love it.”

The keeper unwrapped a couple of pairs of Ethika underwear and smirked at the brunette, thankful she didn’t have to open that gift at Ken’s house on Christmas. Ali winked at her and grinned again.

The third and final gift from Ashlyn to Ali was a delicate silver necklace. It hung just below her collarbone so she could wear it with any of her work polos or blouses if she wanted to. There were three small silver pendants hung on it. They were flat so they overlapped each other, sort of like pretty dog tags but much smaller. The one at the back was the sun, round with rays sticking out around it. The middle one was horizontal and was the sea, with waves etched into the silver. And the top one was a small, non-descript mermaid.

“Oh Ashlyn” the brunette gasped as she looked at all three elements of the necklace. “I love it.” She got up and leaned over to give her fiancée a kiss. “Thank you so much for my epiphany presents. You’re so sweet to me.”

Ashlyn pulled her into her lap and pressed a soft, slow kiss to her lips. She wasn’t sure if it was the wine or the fire or the presents but Ali’s lips were finally warm again. They hugged for a minute after the kiss.

“Ok, you still have one more” Ali pulled away from the kiss but stayed in her keeper’s lap. “Unless you don’t want it...”

“Oh no. I want it. Whatever it is you wanted me to open this one last. I saw you hold your breath when I almost opened this one first” Ashlyn chuckled and patted Ali’s hip affectionately.

The blonde ripped open the wrapping paper and looked at the cardboard backing, confused. She turned it over in her hands and saw that it was a dog collar, dark blue with sharks all around it. She looked up at the brunette, unsure of what exactly was happening.

“Does this mean...” she spoke slowly, trying to process the information and come up with an answer that didn’t mean what she hoped it meant.

“I want to get you a puppy” Ali said with a tiny squeal as she watched the sheer joy spread across Ashlyn’s cherubic face. “Or I want us to get a puppy or however you want to say it.”

“Us. I want us to get a puppy Al. Oh my God you just made me soooo happy!” the keeper exclaimed and hugged the brunette tightly. “When can we get the puppy?”

“Well, it’s really up to you and what you think is best” Ali began, sounding very mature and serious. “But I was thinking about tomorrow” she giggled as she enjoyed the ecstatic look on Ashlyn’s face. 

“Just when I thought there wasn’t anything else you could possibly do to make me happier...” the keeper got emotional and paused for a minute as Ali caressed her cheek. “You’re perfect and incredible and I love you so much Ali” she whispered as she looked up into loving chocolate eyes. “I love our life.”


	2. Puppy Love and Heartbreak

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The big old house is open for business again. Lol.   
> I'll post a couple of chapters today to get us all back in the swing of things with our girls, then switch to a chapter every day or two.  
> I'm not quite finished with Part 3 but almost. I should be able to post the rest of it without interruption.

It actually took them a few days to get the puppy. Ali’s friend Erica volunteered for a dog rescue group on the North Shore that specialized in rescuing and relocating dogs from the South. They teamed with animal rights groups and other volunteer organizations in Alabama and Mississippi and rescued stray and abused dogs. Then they transported them up to Sweet Paws where they were cleaned up and treated for any diseases or illnesses. Most of the dogs went to foster homes across the North Shore until someone adopted them. Erica’s sister was one of the founders of the organization and Ali had donated money all five years that they had been in operation. The brunette had helped place several dogs during that time as well. Sometimes a customer or a client of one of her builder customers was looking for a new dog and Ali was quick to get them the Sweet Paws information. She carried a stack of their business cards in her truck just for times like that.

The appeal of going to a breeder and getting a puppy was always going to be tough to compete against. But there was something unmatched about seeing a rescued dog finally understand that his or her new life really was real and they weren’t going to have to go back to whatever hell they had been rescued from. If Ashlyn had wanted a puppy from a breeder they would have done it and Ali wouldn’t have made the blonde feel bad about it for a minute. But she knew her keeper would be happy to get a dog from Sweet Paws. Besides, it wasn’t like one of them had allergies or anything. There wasn’t any need to go to a breeder for a special kind of dog. Sweet Paws would be perfect for them.

Ali had called Erica before Christmas and explained what she was going to do. Often times one of the rescued dogs would come to Sweet Paws pregnant. Nobody was spaying or neutering the stray dogs out there, that was for sure. The brunette was hoping there might be actual puppies at Sweet Paws for Ashlyn to adopt. Erica told her there were two pregnant dogs at their facility and one other had given birth in October and another in November. The puppies would be ready to be adopted about nine weeks after they were born, if you took them away from their mom and littermates before eight weeks you could cause a lot of trauma to both the momma and the puppy. Ali asked Erica to save one of those November puppies for her and found out they would be available the first week of January. 

Turns out not everybody wanted a puppy. They had assumed the puppies would be the most popular dogs to get adopted from the Sweet Paws facility but they were wrong. A lot of people wanted a dog that was already house trained and more self-sufficient. It was good, really, because they had way more adult dogs than puppies. But Ashlyn and Ali were still surprised to see so many puppies still not adopted when they drove up Saturday in a moderate snow storm to see the dogs. The November puppies were a Hound mixed breed. They were all a medium creamy tan color, like caramel, and they had big floppy ears and cute caramel noses with just a tiny bit of pink near the end. Ali saw the look on her fiancée’s face and knew she was in trouble. There was a reason that Ali didn’t spend time volunteering at the rescue group. She had tried it a few times and it just hurt too much. She donated her money instead and they were very appreciative to have it. 

If Ali had trouble being there with all those rescued dogs she couldn’t imagine how difficult it was for the keeper to stand there knowing she could only save one. Ali’s heart broke for her tender hearted love. She tried to alleviate some of the pressure and guilt she thought Ashlyn was feeling by reminding her that they were already in a whole lot better place than they had been. They had already been rescued. They were just waiting for their forever homes now. There were four puppies still from the November litter, three males and a female, and two from the October litter, one male and one female. While they were in the pen looking at the November puppies, one of the little October puppies kept coming over to Ashlyn on the other side of the divider gate. She put her head down on top of her front paws and watched the keeper the whole time they were in with the November puppies. The October puppies were a different kind of Hound mixed breed, something called a Plott hound that had originally been bred to hunt wild boar. She was a dark brindle with a mostly black face, except for one white streak that went from the side of her nose up to her left eye. It looked like someone had tried to draw a cute white streak that ran straight up her nose, like you usually saw it, and missed. 

The four adorable caramel puppies climbing all over the keeper couldn’t have been any cuter. They all seemed healthy and active. None were too shy or timid. It would be impossible to pick. Ali knew that some people didn’t want to adopt a female because it cost more money to have them spayed than it did to have a male puppy neutered. Ashlyn said she would take the female puppy then, if the males had a better chance of getting adopted. And that was how they decided which puppy they would come back and pick up on Monday. They had to get the house ready and finish all the adoption paperwork for Sweet Paws. The keeper cried the whole ride home. 

When they went back Monday afternoon to pick up their new puppy they were both excited. Part of Ashlyn didn’t want to go back in to the facility because she knew her heart was going to break again. But the other part of her knew they were giving one dog a forever home and that made her indescribably happy. They drove Ali’s truck and had a small crate set up in the backseat for the new puppy so the keeper could sit next to her during the drive home. The brunette just smiled as she emptied all of her work things out of the backseat to make room. Whatever Ashlyn wanted that day Ali was determined to give her. 

They had one of the little male caramel puppies safely in the crate and Ali was about to back out of the parking space when she locked eyes with her keeper, sitting directly behind her. The brunette saw the plaintive request in her eyes. It was as clear as the lettering on a bright neon sign.

“Go on then” Ali said with a soft smile.

“Really?!” Ashlyn’s excitement made the little caramel guy whine in his own excitement.

“Why not? We puppy-proofed the whole house, we’re ready.”

Ali sighed and thought back to how adorable the quiet little October brindle puppy had been. The female caramel November puppy had been adopted the day before and Sweet Paws knew Ashlyn and Ali didn’t really care which one they brought home. So, while Ashlyn tried to choose which of the caramel boys to make their own, the sweet brindle girl eyed them from her side of the divider, wagging her tail slowly. The brunette’s resolve had broken then and she had been prepared to say yes as soon as Ashlyn asked.

While she waited, Ali called Sydney to tell her about the adorable little miniature Chihuahua that had just become available. He wasn’t a puppy but he wasn’t much older than two years old. The coach was beyond excited and was planning to come visit Ashlyn’s new puppy that Wednesday night. She might have a dog of her own to bring too.

“All set?” Ali asked as she looked at her fiancée in the backseat with her arm over the crate, already trying to connect and love the two puppies curled up together inside. 

The keeper named the brindle girl Persey which was short for perseverance. She had certainly earned it. And they had already picked out the name Alfred for the puppy if they had ended up bringing home one of the caramel boys. 

“Yeah” the blonde answered her without taking her eyes off of the pups. “Let’s go home.”

// 

After discussing her plan at great length with Ali, the blonde had decided to post a picture of her new family status on social media. The NWSL draft was Thursday afternoon and to help boost some viewership and likes across all of her social media, Ashlyn posted her picture on Tuesday evening. The keeper had been much more active on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and a newer company called Sqor had paid her to promote their social media site. Ashlyn had taken Ali’s marketing advice about interacting with her fans more. She spoke with Kyle over New Year’s about his experiences and successes with Instagram and his YouTube video channel. The blonde felt good about moving forward and executing the plan she and Ali had designed. 

Ashlyn was getting enough sponsorships and requests for ads and promotions through social media from other companies that it was beginning to get a little chaotic and overwhelming. Ali helped her create a schedule. Once a month she had to post a picture and short story on Instagram featuring her Suburu, for example. In addition to her sponsorships she and Hilary Knight had planned to release a bunch of pictures of the two of them hanging out, goofing around and being badass female athletes. Kyle was coming up in early February to take the pictures for them while Hilary was in town for a couple of Pride games. The goal was to increase their appeal and give Nike some more evidence of how much people loved their friendship so the huge company would hire them for a lucrative ad campaign. Ashlyn’s stock was on the rise and headed in a wider market this year, thanks in part, to her friendship with Julian Edelman. 

When you were friends with a star player for the New England Patriots, different people paid attention. She and Ali had gone to a couple of Patriot games that Fall and been guests in one of the Patriots’ suites. The owner of the Patriots, Robert Kraft, also owned the New England Revolution, the men’s pro soccer team in MLS, and was always looking to grow that sport in the area too. Soccer was not nearly as popular in the Boston market as the other big four sports but it was growing. The Krafts always tried to have the Revolution promoted heavily during the Patriot home games at Gillette Stadium. They had as many Revolution players as possible come and be as accessible to the fans as they could be. It made sense to try and expand that to the women’s game too. Kristie and Samantha Mewis, and Stephanie McCaffrey were all ardent Patriots fans and often posted all over social media about the team and the players. The Krafts invited them back to one of the games in the Fall too. 

The end result was that all of those female soccer players had been invited to attend the big home playoff game that January weekend against the Houston Texans. It was the late game on Saturday night and everybody in the country would be watching it. Hilary Knight had also been invited and was bringing a couple of her teammates with her to fill out the suite. Whitney and Ryan were going to be there too and everybody was looking forward to it. The whole weekend was going to be epic and Ashlyn was proud of herself, and Ali – she knew none of that would have happened without Ali, for being professional about it and launching her own mini media campaign. It was a big and busy time for the blonde and she could feel her world shifting right under her feet. She just hoped she could ride it and stay upright along the way.

The picture she posted Tuesday evening was a cute shot of the two of them with their new puppies. They were sitting side by side on the floor of the living room, leaning back against the couch. Ashlyn held the chest of the brindle puppy in one of her big hands as Persey stood on her leg facing Ali who was holding the caramel puppy in a mirrored position. They had set up the camera on the coffee table and taken a bunch of different shots while they played with the adorable new pups. The one that they chose had Ali smiling at the puppies, who were reaching towards each other with outstretched front paws, and Ashlyn looking adoringly at the brunette. The caption beneath the picture read: “2017 is awesome already! We said yes to each other and then yes to these sweethearts. #Persey #Alfred #engaged #myfam #grateful” and then added in the appropriate dog, diamond, two girls and heart emojis. She didn’t tag anybody in it. Both women knew how terrible some of the fans could be if they found out one of their favorites wasn’t single anymore and Ashlyn didn’t want Ali to have to deal with any of that bullshit. 

An hour later she posted a poll asking what the boy puppy’s nickname should be: Alfie or Freddie. It was the most popular poll she had ever done and she got thousands of hits and likes and shares on her original post too. Her phone basically blew up for the next couple of hours as her friends and teammates found out and texted or called with their congratulations. The comments section of her post was filled with mostly warm and heartfelt wishes for the keeper and Ashlyn felt great about everything they had done. She had never had a big coming out statement in the media. If anybody asked her she had always answered honestly but never gone into any great detail. She wasn’t going to make a big huge statement now either. She was just going to share the happiest news of her life with her fans and the world and hope for the best. There was a chance she could lose some endorsements, but none of the big ones that brought her the real money. Nike, Suburu, Jameson Whisky, they weren’t going to care. But maybe some of the smaller deals with the sub shops and the pizza places would go away. And maybe that was ok. Ashlyn felt powerful in a way she never had before. That night, as they snuggled into bed, with the two puppies curled up in their crate near the foot of the bed, the blonde felt like she had harnessed some of the incredible energy she was experiencing that year. She had harnessed it and pointed it in a powerful and positive direction and she felt happy and proud. 

//

They decided to throw a last minute dinner party together for Wednesday night. Whitney and Ryan had flown up that afternoon for the long weekend so Whitney could participate in the Breakers draft day activities the next day. And Sydney was coming up for her Wednesday night with Ali anyway. They added Dom and made a meal and voila. It was a great opportunity to ask their two best friends to be their maid and matron of honor at the wedding too. Of course, trying to teach two puppies how to go to the mudroom door when they had to pee was going to be an unappetizing challenge, but at least that night there were lots of bodies to help get them out the door and praise them when they successfully peed outside.

“So, you all heard the big news, of course” Ashlyn started nervously. 

They were all sitting around the dining room table, finishing their dinner and drinking wine and catching up. Ryan’s big announcement had already been that he had landed a pretty good coaching position with the Rochester Rattlers in New York. Whitney was happy for him because it was a step up the coaching ladder for him and also because he would be closer to her in Boston. The keeper had waited so she didn’t steal any of Ryan’s thunder.

“Don’t tell me you guys are pregnant already” Sydney rolled her eyes and teased.

“Yeah,” Whitney piled on. “They go from longest get-together in history to the first ones to have babies.”

“Yep, that’d be us” Ali chuckled as everybody else laughed with them. “Except no. Nobody’s pregnant. At least not in our relationship” she eyed Whitney and Sydney back and forth for a minute as everyone laughed again.

“Ok, so let me try this again” the keeper said and cleared her throat. “We’re getting married this year, hopefully in August but we’re not exactly sure of the date yet, and...well...we’d like you two to stand up with us” she grinned at Whitney. “Whit, will you be my maid of honor?”

“Sydney Rae, will you be my matron of honor?” Ali chimed in, trying not to cry.

An hour later, after two enthusiastic yeses, they were playing with the puppies in the living room as Ashlyn told them the story of Persey. Sydney had already threatened to move in just to be near the puppies and Whitney teased her because she had basically already done the very same thing. Ali’s phone rang and she walked through the kitchen into the family room to talk to her brother.

Neither of them had checked social media much that day. They had been busy with the puppies and, honestly, Ashlyn would need a good hour to go through her notifications and tags and she just hadn’t done it yet. It took a long time before the rest of the group realized that the brunette hadn’t come back. Ashlyn and Sydney exchanged a worried look and the coach got up to go check on her best friend. She found her, finally, up in her office sitting on her new sofa in the dark. The door had been closed but Sydney knocked once, softly, and went in.

“All the way up here huh. Couldn’t pick any one of the other hundred rooms to sit in the dark?” she paused, worried the brunette hadn’t even half-chuckled. “I swear, some of us don’t live with our own home gym you know” she panted as she sat down next to her.

Ali was staring straight ahead with a vacant look and tears running down her face. She took Sydney’s hand and held it tightly in her own, pulling it onto her leg. They sat like that for several minutes. The coach’s breathing had returned to normal but her worry had increased significantly.

“What’s up boo?” she asked softly.

“Kyle called. Somebody commented about me on Ashlyn’s post.” Her voice was flat and hard. Sydney had thought she was upset and sad or even distraught but that voice told her the brunette was furious too. “About me being a shut-in for four years.”

“What?” Sydney couldn’t hide her shock. “No way. Nobody even knows about that but...”

“Ashlyn told someone” Ali said coldly and then, as if actually saying the words made it impossible to deny anymore, she burst into tears and crumpled into Sydney’s arms.

Twenty minutes later Ashlyn ran up the stairs and burst through the door into the office. She skidded to a stop and waited for her eyes to adjust to the darkness.

“Ali” she choked out, desperate and afraid. “Al I’m so sorry” she was out of breath and panting. “I have no idea how that happened or who they are or how they found out. I’m so sorry honey.” She took some more deep breaths and bent over with her hands on her knees as if she had just done wind sprints. “Kyle just texted me and I blocked them and reported them. It’s gone. Are you ok?”

“Do I look like I’m fucking ok?” the brunette replied icily as she lifted her head up off of Sydney’s shoulder. “I don’t want you here right now. Get out.”

“Ali, please...I’m sorry...” the blonde pleaded, pain evident in her voice.

“Get out!” Ali yelled.

“I think we should talk about this. I know you’re mad and I don’t blame you, but...”

“Ok, you want to talk about this?” Ali straightened up and glared at her fiancée through the dimly-lit room. “Mattie told me I need to actually let myself be angry with you when you piss me off so here goes. You ready?” she practically taunted.

“Yes” Ashlyn answered in a clear voice. She was sad but she wasn’t afraid because she knew she hadn’t done anything wrong. “Please talk to me, yell at me if you need to, but tell me why you’re so angry with me.”

“I’m pissed because you told someone! How do you not know that?!” the brunette yelled, then sat back against the couch and sighed heavily, defeated. “And even if I could forgive you for that” she sniffled and tried to fight a new wave of tears, “you lied to me about it not even two weeks ago.” Ali’s voice was tinged with sadness and she couldn’t hold back her tears anymore.

Ashlyn stood, two feet inside the open doorway, throwing a long shadow across the floor of the dark room. She hadn’t moved, except to bend over and then stand back up again, since she burst into the room. Her arms hung limply by her sides as she tried to figure out what her fiancée was talking about. 

“Al, this is usually where I say something stupid that causes me more trouble than if I had just kept my big mouth shut. But I have to try...”

“Maybe I should go...” Sydney said quietly and tried to extricate her arms from Ali’s.

“No, you’re good Syd” Ashlyn spoke to the coach but never took her eyes off of Ali. “She wants you here. I’m glad you were here when this happened.” The keeper took a breath and started to talk again, wishing the brunette would look at her. She would have done anything to feel some sort of connection to her right at that moment. Without thinking any more about it, the blonde moved quickly and knelt in front of Ali, pushing the corner of the coffee table back to make room. “Baby, I have never told anybody about Emily. I swear on...on...my grandmother’s grave, I have never said a word to anyone.”

Ali felt the sincerity and the weight of the keeper’s words hit her in the face. She felt them like a wave crashing against her in the surf. But Ashlyn had to have told somebody. There was no other way for anyone to know. It just didn’t make any sense. Ali’s heart wanted to believe the blond but all logic and reason told her it was impossible. There was a soft knock on the wall outside the open door and Whitney appeared in the doorway.

“Umm, I’m sorry to interrupt.” The defender looked awkward and embarrassed as she shifted her weight from foot to foot. “Are you alright Ash? You ran out of the room so fast and then you didn’t come back and I just got worried.”

“Do you know Emily?” Sydney asked her plainly, almost conversationally.

“Emily who?” Whitney asked, confused. 

“Emily who used to know Ali” the coach clarified in a calm, even voice.

“No. Am I supposed to?” she looked at her best friend for some guidance. “Are you ok Ash? You’re really freaking me out right now.”

“I’m ok Whit. Sorry” she looked up at the defender in the hallway. “Some asshole commented a bunch of crap about Ali on my post from yesterday and we just found out about it.”

“Oh shit” Whitney replied. “That sucks. I’m sorry guys. Is there anything I can do?” she asked as she leaned against the door jamb, about to turn and leave.

“Yeah” Ali answered quietly, her voice raw from crying and yelling. “You can help us figure out how the hell it happened. We need your big brain.”

“We should go downstairs or you’ll have puppy pee all over your house” Sydney said with a small chuckle.

Ali groaned and Ashlyn’s eyes went wide for a minute at the thought.

“I’m on it” Whitney replied.

“We’ll kick the boys into the family room and get the chocolate and the wine” the coach continued as she kissed Ali on the cheek and stood up.

“Thanks Syd” Ali squeezed her hand before letting it go. “We’ll be down in a minute.”

The brunette watched their two closest friends walk into the hallway and then looked at the keeper, still on her knees in front of her.

“Ali, I didn’t tell anyone. I swear to God, I didn’t.”

“I believe you. I think.” Ali was still upset and confused and hurt. “I want to believe you, more than anything. But it doesn’t make any sense.”

Ashlyn hadn’t touched the brunette since she entered the room and was still craving some kind of connection. She had Ali’s eyes looking at her every once in a while but they were full of questions and doubts and anger.

“You think I lied to you on New Year’s Eve when I told you I kept all your secrets. When I told you I never told Whitney about Emily” Ashlyn spoke softly, not desperate anymore but still afraid.

“Not any more” Ali sighed heavily again. “I don’t know what the hell is happening. I’m confused and angry and embarrassed...”

“You don’t have anything to be embarrassed about” the blonde interrupted and placed her hand on Ali’s knee.

“You try having your deepest darkest secret broadcast all over social media and then we can talk about it” Ali snapped and stood up, moving away from the keeper. “For Christ fucking sake.”

“I’m sorry. Whatever happened, I’m sure it’s because of something I did. I’m the weak link. Your secret was safe for all that time until you told me” the blonde swallowed half of a sob but couldn’t stop the other half from escaping her lips. She didn’t want Ali to feel like she had to comfort her. Ali had every right to be angry.

“Ash...” the brunette had felt the keeper’s half-sob deep in her heart. “Don’t say that.” She wasn’t ready to hug her yet and she was mad as hell, but she couldn’t bear to hear Ashlyn talk about herself that way. “I don’t know what the hell happened. But I know you didn’t lie to me. And I know you didn’t want any of this bullshit.” Her voice was flat and emotionless as she turned and left the room. Her fiancée, still on her knees, helplessly watched her go.

//

After an hour of running through every possibility they could think of, the ladies hadn’t gotten very far. Whitney had been told the basic plotline of Ali’s terrible relationship with Emily. The only thing they all knew for certain was that Ashlyn had not told a living soul about Ali’s secret. Ali believed the keeper too. But her brain was screaming at her to trust the facts and the logic and that all pointed to the conclusion that the keeper had indeed told someone, somehow.

“What if somebody else told someone?” Ashlyn suggested, frustrated. “Why does it have to be me?”

“Well who else is there?” Sydney asked honestly.

“Let’s think about that for a minute” Whitney said thoughtfully and wrote names down on the notepad on the coffee table. “Who knows?”

“Sydney, Kyle, my parents, Ashlyn...” Ali listed off, thinking. “That’s it.”

“What about Vicki and Mike?” Sydney asked, referring to the brunette’s step-parents.

“I don’t think so. I don’t know” Ali sighed again and put her back against the couch cushion as she held little Freddie on her lap. Sydney, sitting next to her on the floor, patted her knee. “But who would they tell that would post that?” the brunette queried.

“What if your mom told Mike and his daughter or son overheard them and it got out to some of Ash’s fans that way?” Whitney asked. “I know it sounds crazy, but, I mean, it’s gotta be something like that, don’t you think?” She looked at the three women’s faces earnestly. “I think that’s more plausible than anything else we’ve come up with so far.”

“I’ll ask them. I’ll just ask them if there’s any way that could have happened” Ali said dejectedly.

They were all quiet for a few minutes as Whitney jotted down her improbable theory on the notepad. 

“What about Emily?” the keeper asked as she sat up straighter, excited about her idea. “What if she told somebody? Or...what if it’s her? Did you ever mail that letter to her?”

They all looked at each other carefully and considered the possibility.

“I guess, but she doesn’t know how long I was single or how much I dated or any of that stuff” Ali explained. “It’s not like we kept in touch. And no, I never mailed the letter.”

“What letter?” Sydney asked and Ashlyn realized she had fucked up again.

The keeper had assumed that Ali had told her best friend about writing the letter and seeing Mattie. Ali closed her eyes and Ashlyn looked down.

“Well you’re really getting the whole gory picture here tonight Whit. Are you sure you want to live here another season?” Ali spat out hotly, the venom clearly aimed at Ashlyn. “My therapist, who was helping me work through my Emily shit so I could live with my girlfriend without freaking out about it, suggested I write a letter to my lunatic ex-girlfriend and tell her how angry I was about all of the shit she put me through back in the day. Seems to have worked out just great I’d say.” She glared again at Ashlyn.

“Don’t get mad at her. I’m the one who asked about the letter Al” Sydney spoke up catching an equal glare from her best friend in the process. “Where is the letter now?” the coach pressed on, ignoring Ali’s bitchiness.

“I burned it. After we were done working through it and I had decided not to send it I burned it in the next fire we had.” 

“Yeah, but maybe Emily stalked you or something. Cyberstalked you and you never knew it” Ashlyn challenged and immediately regretted it. “I know it sounds crazy and dumb but, to me, it’s less crazy than me telling somebody.” 

The blonde was defensive and nobody could blame her. Ali hadn’t touched her since they had come downstairs an hour earlier. The brunette had scarcely looked at Ashlyn and barely seemed able to tolerate her participation in the brainstorming they were doing. Ali was angry and that wasn’t going to change anytime soon.

“What about Sarah?” Sydney asked tentatively. “Are you sure you never...”

“No. I never told her anything about Emily. I already told you that Syd” Ali snapped.

Persey raised her head in reaction to Ali’s harsh voice and the tension in the room. She was curled up in Sydney’s lap and she eyed Ali, next to her, timidly.

“Great” Ali sighed again, exasperated. “Now your puppy is judging me too. Just fucking great.”

“She’s just sensitive” Ashlyn replied softly. “Some dogs respond and react to stress more strongly than others. They might even come right over to you to try and comfort you...”

Ali silenced her with a withering look. She did not want to be lectured on dog behavior right now. Ashlyn stopped talking and Persey stood up in Sydney’s lap and stretched her neck out towards the tense brunette. She sniffed twice and wagged her tail, eyes still looking up at Ali’s angry face.

“What a good girl” Sydney cooed as she patted and hugged the little puppy. “Seriously, how cute is she?” the coach asked, glancing at the other women’s faces.

Ashlyn smiled, unable to stop herself, as she shot a quick glance at her fiancée. Ali finally gave in and patted little Persey’s cute head with a small pained half-smile on her face.

“What about Hannah?” Whitney’s voice broke through the momentary dog distraction.

“I already told you...”

“No, I know you didn’t tell her the story Ash” Whitney interrupted quickly. “But did she hear you and Ali talking about it somehow? I know it’s a reach, but I have never trusted that bitch and this kind of petty, mean, anonymous bullshit has her name written all over it.”

Ashlyn looked at her best friend, more than a little shocked. “Wow Whit, tell us how you really feel.”

Sydney laughed out loud, causing both puppies to stir and Ashlyn to chuckle.

“See, I told you Whit liked her even less than I did." Ali looked right at Ashlyn without glaring at her for the first time in over an hour. The brunette even chuckled a tiny bit too. 

“Well, what about it?” the defender pressed the keeper for an answer.

“No, Ali and I didn’t talk about it a lot. She told me the story once and it was just the two of us” Ashlyn answered. “There was nobody else around.”

“Are you sure?” Whitney challenged. “It’s gotta be Hannah. Were you working on that letter during her visit here Ali?”

“No” Ali considered carefully, wanting to be sure. “I didn’t start the letter until November. There’s no way she could have seen it, even if she was snooping around while she was here.”

Ashlyn’s face went pale and she slumped back against the back of the couch. It wasn’t a dramatic move but they all noticed how upset she had gotten.

“What?” Ali demanded. “What did you do?” her voice was almost more afraid than angry but it was a pretty close mix.

Ashlyn closed her eyes and put her head back against the couch cushion, momentarily paralyzed.

“What is it Ash?” Whitney asked softly, putting her hand on the blonde’s knee and giving it a supportive squeeze.

The keeper opened her eyes but kept them down. Her face was mournful and her voice low.

“My journal.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sweet Paws is a real organization and I hope they don't mind that I used their name here. They do amazing work.


	3. Limbo

The NWSL draft was in Los Angeles that year so it didn’t start on the East coast until 3pm. Whitney, Ashlyn and Ryan were leaving the house at 1pm to go to Breakers headquarters and get set up. Ali had told Ryan that he was welcome to stay at the big old house with her that day instead. She promised she was done being a raging bitch and assured him that he could do whatever he wanted. He had declined and explained that the plan had always been for him to go and hang out with Whitney. The defender confirmed that it had nothing to do with the night before in any way. Ali still felt like a jerk. But she also still had furious rage coursing through her veins like never before. She just wasn’t sure who it should be directed at. Ali was trying to control it or focus it so it wasn’t spraying all over everybody like it was the night before.

It had been a rough night. After Sydney and Dom had left and Ryan and Whitney had gone to bed it was just the two of them left to deal with all the anger and mistrust and hurt feelings in the house. The puppies were a nice distraction but when they were asleep it was still awkward and uncomfortable. The couple realized that they were both a little sleep deprived too. Wednesday night would be the third night in a row without a good night’s sleep because of the puppies. Part of the house training procedure was that when one of the pups whined in their crate in the middle of the night Ali and Ashlyn got up immediately and each carried a puppy down the backstairs as quickly as possible and right out the door so they could pee. They were training using positive reinforcement so, after the puppies peed, they praised them so the pups knew they had done the right thing. Sometimes one of the puppies would pee on the way down the stairs or across the kitchen so there was clean up to do afterwards. Sometimes the puppies wanted to play after their little outdoor visit and they growled and whined and yapped as they played together in their crate. It was just not a good sleeping environment. Ali certainly couldn’t blame her bad behavior on being tired and cranky but it definitely contributed to her foul mood. 

Once Ashlyn had realized that she had written about Ali’s Emily story in her journal they all breathed a sigh of relief. They were happy to have the mystery part solved. They were all sure Hannah had read the keeper’s journal and that’s how the story was spread. But why had Hannah done it? The behavior definitely fit with the obnoxious Hannah from last year. But the Hannah from this year had been so different and so much better. And if she was just going to go back to being the bitch from the year before then what was the point of pretending to be nice this past summer? What was the fucking endgame? It didn’t make any sense but the four women agreed it was the correct path to follow and said goodnight.

Ashlyn had called Hannah right away when she had first made the realization about her journal, but the redhead didn’t answer. The keeper left her a voicemail telling her she needed to speak with her urgently and to call her back as soon as possible. She even told her it had nothing to do with Meg in case Hannah wanted to avoid Ashlyn for that sticky reason. The blonde felt guilty that she had caused Ali all of this trouble. That was her primary emotion that night. Whitney and Sydney had both hugged her goodbye and goodnight and told her to stay strong and give Ali some space. And, for God’s sake, be cool with people on social media. The plan they had come up with was to just ignore the one troll and rise above the fray. They all knew that was going to be difficult for Ashlyn to do. She was not the type of person who could sit by idly while somebody attacked and bullied the woman she loved. 

When they finally got up to their bedroom to put the puppies in their crate for the night it turned awkward again. 

“If you want, I can sleep in the guest room” Ashlyn offered quietly. “You’ll just have to yell when the puppies need to go out and I’ll come right in.”

Ali sat on her side of the bed and looked down at her hands in her lap. Ashlyn lay on the floor next to the crate with her long fingers sticking through the side and stroking the puppies, softly cooing at them and reassuring them as they fell asleep. Neither woman said anything or did anything for a few minutes.

“I don’t want you to do that” Ali finally said with a pained sigh. “I need to know what the fuck happened. And then I need some time. I’m just so pissed off right now.” She took a deep breath and exhaled. Then she turned her head to look at the blonde stretched out on her side on the floor. The puppies were both asleep but Ashlyn hadn’t moved. “I’m sorry I was such a bitch to you tonight. I’m really upset and confused about what to be mad at and I’m trying to figure it out and... I’m sorry.”

Ashlyn kept her eyes on the puppies and didn’t look up. She was hurt and upset too. Beneath the guilt she felt for causing Ali this trauma, she was deeply wounded. It hurt her terribly to know that the brunette had just assumed that she had told someone, and that she hadn’t believed her when she told her she hadn’t. There had always been a certain level of trust between them, even when they were just friends. That night it felt like there was a crack in their foundation and it frightened the keeper.

Ali got up and got ready for bed. Ashlyn sat on the floor next to the puppies and dove in to her social media to try and stick to her marketing plan for the NWSL draft. She answered a few questions that fans and friends and teammates had asked about the puppies. She announced the winner of the nickname poll for Alfred. Freddie had won which was good because she wasn’t going to call the dog Alfie even if that’s what the poll results had been. She teased the NWSL draft and did another poll asking who fans thought the Breakers would take with the number one overall pick. She got a text from Hannah saying that she couldn’t talk but would call her in the morning. When Ali had gotten into bed and turned her light off the blonde got up and went into the bathroom to get ready for bed. They slept that night on their own sides of the bed, backs turned towards each other. It felt foreign and strange and sad.

//

Ashlyn had spoken with Hannah four different times on the phone Thursday morning. The calls gradually got more civil and helpful as they went along. The first one had been nothing but ugly until Hannah finally admitted that she had read the blonde’s journal that November because she was afraid the keeper was cheating on her with Ali. But the redhead steadfastly denied being the troll. Ashlyn believed her. Ali did not.

“Ashlyn, why the hell would I even do that?” Hannah asked over the phone that morning. “I made my peace with you two last summer. Ask Ali. I apologized and everything.”

“Well somebody posted that comment Hannah and I need to know who and why” Ashlyn was practically yelling and Hannah had never heard her ex-girlfriend anywhere close to that upset over anything before, not even missing Christmas with Meg the month before. “Please Hannah.”

“I joked about it with my girls when we got together before Thanksgiving that year.”

“Right after you read it?” Ashlyn clarified. “Way back then?”

“Yes. And not since. I forgot all about it anyway. I think I told them because I was so surprised by it. Once I told them...”

“You didn’t care about it anymore” the blonde finished for her. “Just find out who did it. Fast. Please.”

Ali spent the morning in her office and left the puppies to Ashlyn and Whitney and Ryan. That had been pre-arranged because Ali would have them for the entire rest of the day and evening. Having two was a lot more work than just one. They didn’t regret bringing Persey home too, but they had learned the very first day that they would need to be smart about scheduling their time. After Ashlyn’s last phone call with Hannah she climbed the stairs to the third floor to give the brunette the update and promised to keep her updated throughout the day if anything new came up. The keeper stood in the doorway of the office, not wanting to invade Ali’s space. They were polite and respectful with each other but that was it for the time being. They were in a weird sort of limbo and they weren’t really sure what to do. They were both still upset and hurt and giving each other a wide berth. When Ali came downstairs to the kitchen to make herself some lunch and feed the puppies theirs, the blonde was just picking up their adorable little food bowls.

“Oh, I was going to do that. I’m officially reporting for puppy duty” Ali tried to smile but couldn’t quite get there.

“That’s alright” Ashlyn answered quietly. “They did good. Whit and Ryan just took them outside.”

“Did you guys eat?” the brunette asked as she opened the refrigerator. “I can make you something...”

“No thanks. We just finished. We’ve got to get going in a few minutes.”

“Ok...Ash, I...”

“I’ll text you as soon as I hear anything from Hannah. I promise” the keeper interrupted her, nervously trying to avoid another awkward encounter.

Ashlyn’s goal for the day, aside from identifying the troll, was to just glide through the limbo period until they had the answers they needed to work out the fix. She didn’t want to add anything else to the problem so she was avoiding Ali as much as she could, even though it killed her to do it. She finished washing the puppy bowls and left them on a paper towel on the counter to dry and then walked across the kitchen towards the mudroom. As she passed by the refrigerator Ali reached out and touched her hand with her fingers, unable to resist any longer. Ashlyn stopped and took the brunette’s hand gently in hers without looking at her. Ali took two steps and hugged her, awkwardly at first but then the keeper turned and put her arms around the brunette too. It was a stiff hug but it was definitely a hug. When Ali pressed a kiss to the blonde’s cheek right next to her ear and whispered “I love you”, it took all of Ashlyn’s strength not to break down.

“I love you too” she choked out.

//

The Breakers had the first and third picks in the draft. They also had the eighth and the ninth. They drafted four of the top ten players. That’s one player shy of half the first round. That’s what happens when you’re very bad for a few years in a row. You get a lot of good draft picks and you make trades for more draft picks. If the coach wasn’t happy with the players he inherited last year, his first year taking over the team, he wasn’t going to be able to use that for an excuse in 2017. They drafted Rose Lavelle with the first overall pick and everybody was excited to have the talented midfielder on the team. She had already been called up a number of times to the senior national team and was a clear talent on and off the field. The other three first round picks were all forwards and strikers. Coach was going to correct the problem they had scoring goals last year or die trying. Morgan Andrews was the third pick overall and many experts thought she could have been the first overall pick for some teams. The fans that had followed the draft on the YouTube live stream or on Facebook live were very excited about the Breakers’ prospects for 2017. Their defense was already good and they had a terrific goalkeeper. Now, finally, it looked like they would have some offense to go with it. 

Kristie Mewis, Whitney and Ashlyn had a great time too at Breakers HQ. They Facetimed Rose Lavelle, recorded it and put it on the Breakers’ Instagram story and Snapchat. Rose was a Wisconsin Badger, just like Hilary Knight, so Ashlyn and Hilary went back and forth on Twitter about Boston’s newest female athlete. It was all great content and the fans loved it. The women’s soccer journalists, most of whom were gathered out in LA at the draft, made special mention of the Breakers HQ hijinks and everybody seemed to enjoy the whole draft event. It had been hard for Ashlyn to focus during parts of it and Whitney covered for her when she had to step away and take a couple of calls from Hannah. The successful draft had made everybody excited for the season to start, players, coaches and fans alike. March preseason could not come fast enough.

//

Later that night, Ashlyn climbed up the back stairs in the big old house and crept into the bedroom. It was almost midnight and she was sure Ali and the puppies would be asleep. If she had been home alone that night she would have crashed as soon as the puppies did to try and catch up on some long-absent sleep.

“Hi” Ali said softly from the bed when she heard the floor creak in the dark.

“Sorry” the keeper replied.

“I’m awake, you can turn on the light.”

Ashlyn could hear the sheets rustling as Ali sat up in bed. They had spoken earlier in the evening, after Ashlyn’s last phone call from Hannah. For all of her faults, the redhead had been a good help to the keeper that day. She had questioned all of her friends that had been at the get-together when she had told Ali’s secret. The only one she hadn’t been in touch with was Missy. Missy and Hannah had had a falling out shortly after that get-together and hadn’t been in touch since, so Hannah had dismissed her from the list of possible troll candidates. After some questions from Ashlyn about why they had fought and stopped being friends, the two women started to put together what must have happened. 

Ali had a hard time swallowing the story Ashlyn told her over the phone but finally decided that it made as much sense as anything else possibly could. Missy was the first of Hannah’s friends that Ashlyn had met back when they first started dating. Missy liked Ashlyn a lot but backed off when the keeper and Hannah started dating. Ashlyn had never known how strong Missy’s feelings for her were. Neither had Hannah. They had fought and ended their friendship when Missy finally criticized Hannah for the way she treated Ashlyn. Missy ranted at Hannah about how lucky she was to have the blonde in the first place and that she didn’t deserve her. The redhead spoke with her ex-friend that evening and confirmed it. Missy had seen the post about Ashlyn’s engagement and lashed out at Ali out of jealousy, using the only ammunition she had against her. She had instantly regretted it but the post had already been removed and she had been blocked when she went back to delete it. 

The keeper barely remembered Missy and it had taken she and Hannah several minutes to recall enough details to paint the picture. Ashlyn called Missy directly and spoke with her later that night. She thanked her for defending her against Hannah and then chatted with her for several minutes trying to assess just how crazy she might be. Ashlyn thought she sounded alright, a little sad and lost and lonely, but not dangerous or anything. The keeper explained how much she loved Ali, hoping her honesty would count for something with Missy. She asked her to please respect Ali’s privacy. To her credit, Missy apologized to Ashlyn and offered to apologize to Ali. The blonde explained that they were just going to let it all die down and that there was no need for Missy to do anything else. Ashlyn found Missy’s real Instagram among her followers and spent some time checking it out. She was harmless. Every one of the interactions that the keeper looked at from Missy were positive and supportive and kind. She had even defended the keeper against some other trolls who just couldn’t believe that Ashlyn could be both talented and popular.

As the keeper got ready for bed, one of the puppies whined and pawed at the crate door so Ali and Ashlyn hustled them both downstairs and outside. They stood together by the side entrance door shivering and watching Persey and Fred pee. 

“You’re going to get sick you know” Ali yawned as she looked at the keeper.

Ashlyn had been in such a rush to get the puppy downstairs but had been changing into her pajamas and was now outside with just her boxer briefs for pants. They were one of the new pairs of Ethika that the brunette had given her for epiphany which felt so long ago and far away. It had only been six days ago. Wearing those had made Ashlyn feel closer to the woman she loved on a day when she knew she would need it. 

“I’ll be ok. They’re almost done” the blonde replied shyly, feeling exposed and silly.

“They look good” Ali complimented shyly, unable to keep from admiring the new underwear or her fiancée inside them.

Ten minutes later they were back upstairs listening to the puppies whimper and growl playfully with each other inside their crate. Ashlyn had just gotten into bed and was unsure what to do next. She knew they needed to talk but didn’t know if Ali was ready yet. Before she could decide whether to turn her light off or not Ali turned to face her and put her hands on Ashlyn’s left forearm. 

“I’m not mad at you Ash, it’s not your fault. You didn’t do anything wrong” the brunette began. 

She sounded exhausted and her voice was raw like she had been crying or sleeping. Ashlyn wondered which it was. She was pretty sure her brunette had been crying. 

“You weren’t wrong to write in your journal and you weren’t wrong to post that picture of us. You even asked me about it first and let me help you pick the picture I liked the best.” Ali took a deep breath, closed her eyes and let it out, still holding her fiancée’s arm. “None of this is your fault. But I’m fucking furious. I’m mad that Hannah read your journal – who the fuck does that anyway? Fucking bitch. And I’m mad that she told her stupid friends. And I’m mad that her crazy friend went to all the trouble of making a new Instagram account just so she could torture me online.” 

The brunette looked down and tried to fight back the tears that had gathered in her eyes. She was so tired of crying about this. Ali felt like she was making too big a deal out of it sometimes. But then other times she felt like it was literally the end of the world. She felt Ashlyn put her hand on top of hers and the small gesture gave the brunette the strength she needed to keep going. 

“But I’m also angry that you let that into our lives. That’s what I’ve had a hard time with” she admitted and lifted her eyes to meet the keeper’s as the tears started to roll down her cheeks. “I knew you hadn’t told anybody, I could tell by the look on your face as soon as you found out. And once I believed that then I knew you hadn’t lied to me on New Year’s Eve. Those were the easy parts. Well, none of this is fucking easy” she wiped her tears away with one of her hands and then put it on top of the blonde’s hand. “But I’m struggling with forgiving you for letting Hannah have a place in your life in the first place. It scares me that you couldn’t see her for what she really was.” Ali paused for a minute, afraid her words were hurting her keeper. “But I can’t fault you for having a relationship with a crazy person. Who the hell am I to point fingers about that? I fucking agreed to marry a crazy person even though I knew she was nuts.” Ali smiled ruefully and rolled her red puffy eyes. She took another beat. “But I can’t really expect you to be less trusting of the whole world. I don’t want that. That’s part of what makes you so wonderful babe” she reached her hand up and caressed Ashlyn’s cheek tenderly. “So I’m stuck.” The brunette sighed and brought both hands to her face and rubbed her eyes and the back of her own neck and then dropped them in her lap. “I blame you for Hannah but I don’t want you to change what made you give her a chance in the first place. You take chances on people and you give them the benefit of the doubt. You wear your heart on your sleeve more than anyone I’ve ever known. I love those things about you Ashlyn.” 

Ali scooched closer to her keeper, longing to put the distance between them far away and find a way out of the limbo hell they were in. She saw tears falling down Ashlyn’s sad face and she held both of her hands and squeezed them. 

“And what’s helped me get through this whole thing today is realizing that I might not even be in your life if you weren’t like that. Maybe you would never have even given me the time of day the first time we met. If you weren’t so open maybe you wouldn’t have kept me company while I measured those windows. We never would have talked and you never would have been intrigued enough to invite me out with the team after the game.” The brunette took a deep breath, holding Ashlyn’s gaze and returning it. “And I just can’t even go there in my head because it hurts too much. I don’t want to think about my life without you in it” she finished, her voice nearly a whisper as she started to cry again.

The blonde pulled Ali towards her, needing to hug her and hold her tight. They wrapped their arms around each other, the brunette still crying softly, and Ashlyn pulled her onto her lap so Ali was straddling her. There was nothing sexual about it. It was a clingy, desperate attempt to put back together something that had nearly been broken. They held each other and cried, wordlessly, for a long time. They listened to each other’s breathing even out and heartrates slow down as their arms stayed tight around their strong backs.

“I’m so sorry Ali” the keeper apologized, chin still on the brunette’s shoulder.

“You don’t have anything to be sorry for Ash. I’m sorry. And I do have things to be sorry for.” Ali kept her chin on the blonde’s shoulder and stayed in the hug as she spoke. “I was mean and rude and bitchy and you didn’t deserve any of that. I’m embarrassed by the way I behaved last night. I already called and apologized to Sydney and Dom. I’ll talk to Whit and Ryan in the morning.” Ali paused and held her breath. “Can you forgive me?”

Ashlyn pulled back from the hug so she could see the brunette’s face. She wiped off Ali’s tears with her thumbs and moved dark hair away from her face as well. Even in her haggard, exhausted, cried-out condition she was still the most beautiful woman the keeper had ever seen. 

“Of course I forgive you. I love you Ali. I know you were upset and scared and angry and frustrated and embarrassed.” She cupped her fiancée’s cheek with her hand and smiled a little when she felt Ali nuzzle into it. “I tried to imagine how hard all of this must be for you and I just can’t even begin to. And you spent all afternoon and night working through all of this so we could try and put it behind us.” 

It was Ali’s turn to wipe tears off and move blonde hair away as she listened to her love’s beautiful voice. 

“Thank you for being honest with me about what you’re feeling” the keeper continued. “I know it’s a big deal and, as weird as it sounds, thank you for getting angry with me and expressing it and all of the things you worked on with Mattie.” 

Ali lowered her eyes self-consciously and chewed on her bottom lip as she listened to her fiancée. 

“It really hurt me that you would even think that I would betray your trust like that Al. I mean, that hurt bad” the blonde admitted and dropped her eyes. “It still hurts. That’s definitely what bothered me the most. We’re both going to lose our tempers sometimes and snap at each other. Hopefully it’s never anything too serious, but I expect that to happen and I can take that stuff. If I screw up and make you angry you have every right to snap at me. But the thing that really scared me” she had to stop and try to control her emotions. Ashlyn closed her eyes and took two deep breaths and let them out slowly. “The thing that kept me awake all last night was that you didn’t trust me” she confessed, her voice breaking right at the very end.

“But I did trust you. I do trust you. That’s why it hurt so much to think that you might have told somebody. I’ve never trusted anybody or anything more than I trust you Ashlyn. Not ever. And even though all the logic was pointing to you I knew in my heart that there had to be another explanation.” Ali put her hands on the blonde’s cheeks and held her face. “I wasn’t good about saying that to you last night and I’m so sorry honey. But as soon as I saw your face up in the office I knew you hadn’t broken that trust. My heart knew it and it just took some time to convince my brain.” 

“Are you sure?” Ashlyn eyed the brunette warily.

“I’m one thousand percent sure sweetheart.” Ali pressed a quick kiss against her keeper’s lips, still holding her face. “How else would I believe such an insane story about your ex-girlfriend’s ex-friend’s crush on you?” the brunette asked with a tiny smile. “I trust you. I believe you. I love you.” 

Ali kissed her again and let her hands move behind her head and around her neck as the kiss deepened. The keeper returned the kiss and settled her hands on the brunette’s waist. After a few more minutes they pulled apart and leaned their foreheads together.

“God I hate being mad at you” Ali chuckled softly. “It goes against every fiber of my being. It makes me feel like I’m on a different planet or something.”

“I hate when you’re mad at me too” Ashlyn quipped, wondering if it was too soon to try a little humor.

“Ha ha, very funny” the brunette made a face. They were quiet for a moment, enjoying the closeness they had missed. “Did what I said make sense, at all? Do you get why I was angry or did I explain it all wrong?” she leaned back to look at Ashlyn’s face, wanting to be sure they were ok.

“Yeah, it makes sense. I don’t want to over-simplify it or make a joke out of it because I know how serious this is for both of us. But it’s like the guy who buys a rooster and then gets mad at the rooster because it wakes him up every morning when the sun comes up. You can’t blame the rooster for being a rooster. Right?”

“Well I set myself up for that one, didn’t I?” Ali groaned lightly. “But yeah, pretty much.”

“I know I’m vulnerable to some assholes out there because of how open I can be, or gullible or whatever. And that’s scary for both of us. But I’ve tried to be better about it and I know you’ve always got my back and I trust you so if you tell me you have a bad feeling about someone or something I always listen to you.”

“Yes. We’re both getting better at this. And it’s a good thing because you’re only going to get more popular and more famous babe. I saw a lot of your stuff today and you were great. You guys all did a good job, but you were great. You’re a natural.”

“Aw, thank you honey. I can’t believe you watched” she replied, sincerely surprised.

“Of course I watched. I was mad but I still love you.” The brunette looked down. “It was so hard to get into bed last night and not curl up with you. That was brutal” Ali admitted and closed her eyes. “But I just needed some time to figure out what I was feeling and why.”

“I understand. And I tried to give you space so you could do that. You never met the younger me, Whitney will vouch for this, but I would have hounded you to death until you told me what I needed to do to fix this. The more mature me still hates it, but I’ve learned how to give you space when you need it.”

“I appreciate that. I think Mattie had better give us a goddamned award for all of this mature relationship communication we’ve done here” Ali giggled as they held each other close again.

“So, are we ok?” Ashlyn asked seriously.

“Yeah, I think we’re good” Ali started. “But can I ask you one question? You don’t have to answer it if you don’t want to, ok?” she pulled back and held Ashlyn’s hands between them.

“Anything baby.”

“Why did you write about that in your journal? I don’t mean, like, whiny ‘why did you do it’ drama why. But honestly, what was it that made you put it in your journal?”

“I remember when you first told me the story, in the glade with the natural pool in Satellite Beach. I hurt your feelings when I asked you about the amount of time that you had been single.” 

Ali looked surprised because she thought she had hidden her hurt from the blonde back then.

“You thought I was saying it had taken you too long to get over it. What I told you then was what I wrote in my journal because it still amazed me. I can’t believe it only took you four years to come back from that. It amazes me to this damned day. And you weren’t some hollow shell of a human being either. You were, you are, an amazing woman with so much love to give and so much heart and...”

“Ok, ok” Ali chuckled. “I get it. I’m not fishing for compliments. I just wanted to understand it.”

“You can read it if you want?”

“The part about me and Emily?”

“The whole thing, if you want.”

“That’s very generous of you Ash, but some things are meant to be private. I don’t need to read your journal honey. But thank you for being so brave and trusting me.”

Ashlyn leaned forward and pressed a soft but slow and meaningful kiss to the brunette’s lips, fingers still intertwined with each other.

“You make me brave and strong Ali. My warrior princess. You don’t even know how incredible you make me feel.”

“I do though, I think,” Ali replied softly after they kissed again, “because you make me feel incredible too. It’s hard to explain, but I’m a better person with you and because of you and for you. I know it sounds silly...”

“No baby, it’s not silly” Ashlyn smiled softly. “It’s love.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick note about the way Ali talks about and refers to Emily in this chapter. It's a little derogatory and I didn't like it. I still don't, hence this note. Mental illness is no joke. Ali calls Emily a 'crazy person' and 'nuts' and I was going to change it but decided to keep it the way it appears in this chapter. Ali is upset and distraught and she's not editing all of the words she's using when she's having her heart to heart with Ashlyn at the end. It rang truer to me as is, even though I'm uncomfortable with it. Ali's not perfect after all.


	4. January Blitz

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut warning

January had gotten off to a wonderful start but then hit the biggest speedbump Ali and Ashlyn had ever encountered. It was as if the universe had self-corrected their inordinate and unfair amount of happiness for them with one Instagram comment. But they had worked through it. Both the keeper and the brunette had been shy around each other the day after their big talk but they knew they were ok. Ali tried not to look at Ashlyn’s Instagram post, instead, relying on the blonde to let her know if someone she knew had commented. The public response had been overwhelmingly positive but there was always that handful of absolute degenerates who chose to spew their filth all over everything gay they could find. Ashlyn felt every one of the hurtful comments as she deleted and blocked them. It took some practice, but she was learning how to let those roll off of her back more easily so she could focus on the positive messages instead.

The Patriots won their playoff game that weekend and all of the ladies who attended had a great time. The suite had been a mix of Boston Breakers and Boston Pride and New England Revolution players and their dates. Bob Kraft himself had come up to the suite during the second half, after the Patriots had gotten control of the game, to greet everybody and get in some camera time for his Revolution team. And there, on live network television during the only NFL game being played on divisional playoff weekend, the camera zoomed in on Bob Kraft as he was holding Ashlyn’s hand and laughing with her about lord only knows what. Ali was standing between them with one of the Revolution players, laughing along with whatever Ashlyn had just said. The game announcers didn’t know who any of them were and the screen graphic only identified Robert Kraft as owner of the Patriots and the Revolution but every New Englander was watching that game and saw that candid moment. Twitter exploded with women’s soccer fans who recognized Ashlyn right away and eventually it had become a meme. The gif was Ashlyn and Bob Kraft shaking hands and then both throwing their heads back in laughter and it turned into a caption contest with some absolutely hysterical contributions for the rest of the night. After the game Julian Edelman re-tweeted it out with his own caption and that created a whole second wave of attention.

Ashlyn was becoming the next level of famous, at least in New England. A small local t-shirt company approached the blonde about partnering together for some Ashlyn Harris t-shirts. She turned them down but only because she was already working on her own similar project that would be run through their Knight-Harris Company. She had been promoting the idea all month and the first t-shirts and snapbacks would be available in early February. Ashlyn had received a bunch of stock to give out early, to help promote it, and she sent one of the t-shirts and snapbacks to Julian Edelman hoping he could help her out. While Ashlyn had worked her magic in the suite at the Patriots game, Ali had been talking business with the Mewis sisters and Stephanie McCaffrey. The three friends wanted to start their own lifestyle blog and focus it on content that real young women wanted to know about. Instead of just reading and seeing and hearing about how to lose weight and get a guy to ask you on a second date and other typically boring and unrealistic crap, they wanted to talk about real things that young women encountered every day. Kristie wanted to focus on style. Stephanie wanted to focus on humor and sarcasm. And Samantha wanted to focus on deeper intellectual things. They were calling it ‘Sporting Chic’. Ali thought it was an outstanding idea and offered the Knight-Harris Company as a place where they could get started. They all knew that, if the blog grew quickly and did well, the three young entrepreneurs would want to run their own show and set up their own company. But that took time and money and energy and there was lots of red tape to cut through. Ali had already done that last year when she set up Knight-Harris so it was a convenient and fast way for ‘Sporting Chic’ to get started and for Knight-Harris to get some more hits and eyes on their company at the same time. They made plans to draw up contracts before the end of the month.

Both of Ali’s phones lit up after the Patriots game and for a day or two afterwards. Almost all of her customers had been watching the game and most of them had sent her a text or left her a voicemail telling her they had seen her with Bob Kraft and told her how great she looked. Thank God she had been having a good hair day Ali thought as she saw herself all over social media in the background of the Ashlyn and Bob Kraft gif. She had looked great. They both had. The keeper had worn a Julian Edelman jersey but had worked it in with her own style. Both women looked radiant but not many people knew why. Ashlyn had introduced Ali to Bob Kraft as her fiancée and their friends and teammates in the suite had already gaped at their beautiful rings. But Ali’s customers, for example, couldn’t figure out how the pretty young woman they were used to seeing on their jobsites had transformed into such a beauty without them recognizing it before.

//

What nobody had seen was the two women slip into one of the private bathrooms that were located up on the suite level. They weren’t very big, maybe five feet by six feet with a toilet, a sink with a mirror above it and a fold down baby changing table on the other wall, but they were private and there was a lock on the door. It had been early in the fourth quarter and Ali had watched her sexy keeper socialize with everybody from Robert Kraft to Hilary’s Pride teammates to the cute waitress. Ashlyn had been kind and polite and charming with everyone in equal measure and the people she engaged with all responded warmly to her attention. They had drunk it in just as Ali used to do when she was thirsty for it too. She was lucky now. She didn’t have to wait for a few minutes of the blonde’s time and then hope for a meaningful look or a glancing touch. Ali could have as much of the sexy keeper as she wanted and she swore she would never ever take that for granted. 

All of those thoughts and memories had run through the brunette’s head as she discreetly watched Ashlyn work the room. She saw Robert Kraft politely touch the keeper’s elbow as they talked and laughed. She noticed Gigi Marvin and Kacey Bellamy, both Pride players, casually bump up against Ashlyn as people moved around them in the suite. At least they were both about the same age as Ali and Ashlyn, unlike some of the younger women in the room who tried to surreptitiously stare at the tall blonde with the killer cheekbones, adorable dimple and beautiful smile. One of the younger women was the girlfriend of a Revolution player. She was in her early 20s and very pretty. She stared at Ashlyn almost the entire game. If she had to get up and move around the suite she made sure to do it so her path brought her close enough to the keeper so she had to touch her as she squeezed by. Ali resisted the urge to mark her territory and somehow kept her distance. But the jealousy coursed through her body every time the young blonde put her hands on Ashlyn. A hand on the keeper’s lower back as she turned sideways to pass through the bodies, looking up and apologizing sweetly when Ashlyn turned at the touch. One time she actually pretended to lose her balance and fall, chest first, into Ashlyn’s side. Of course the keeper had caught her and helped her steady herself, smiling kindly and making sure the young woman was ok. 

Ashlyn kept her own eye on her fiancée throughout the game. They exchanged glances and smiles and the occasional smirk while they were apart inside the suite. When they were next to each other for parts of the game they held hands or had their arms loosely around each other. Ali loved seeing her keeper get so much attention. It filled her heart more than almost anything else could. Strangers and important or famous people appreciating and understanding Ashlyn, at least a little bit, was a complete turn-on for the brunette. Finally, after another close encounter with the young blonde woman, Ali couldn’t take it anymore. Robert Kraft had been and gone and some of the Revolution players had already left the suite. It was early in the fourth quarter and the Patriots had the game pretty well in hand. The young blonde had stopped with one of her young friends to talk with Ashlyn on their way across the suite. The young blonde put her hand on the keeper’s bicep and leaned in to whisper something, bringing her breasts into contact, again, with Ashlyn’s arm. Ali excused herself from the chat she was having with Whitney, Ryan and some of the Pride players and moved to Ashlyn’s other side, deftly slipping her arm around her keeper’s waist and snuggling under her arm. Ashlyn instinctively moved towards the brunette and, with a dimple bearing grin, leaned down and kissed Ali’s cheek in greeting. The young blonde stood up straight and took her hands and breasts off of the keeper with a surprised look on her face.

“Hey baby, what a great game, huh?” Ashlyn remarked after the quick kiss to Ali’s cheek.

“The best” Ali smiled. “Can I talk to you for a minute?” she asked her fiancée sweetly. “I’m sorry to interrupt” she said to the young blonde and her friend. “I’ll bring her right back” Ali added as she tugged Ashlyn towards the door of the suite by the hand.

And so they found themselves in the private bathroom.

“What’s up honey?” Ashlyn asked as she stepped into the small, clean bathroom. “Are you not feeling ok?”

Ali threw the lock on the door and then turned around and pushed the keeper up against the opposite wall with a hard kiss. Ashlyn gasped in surprise and then whimpered as the brunette drove her tongue into her mouth. She could taste the vodka tonics Ali had been drinking during the game and pushed back with her own tongue startling the brunette with her reciprocal response. Ashlyn put one hand on Ali’s hip and the other on her ass and pulled their bodies together tightly, deepening the kiss even further. When they finally had to break for a breath Ali panted hotly in the keeper’s ear.

“I can’t stand one more person touching you until I touch you like only I can.”

“You jealous baby?” Ashlyn teased breathlessly as she pushed her fiancée up against the wall next to them and moved her mouth and tongue to her neck.

“Fuck Ash...yes...” the brunette groaned as the keeper pushed her thigh between Ali’s legs and pinched her nipple beneath her shirt.

“You think that silly little blonde could ever get my attention?” Ashlyn whispered as she bit and then sucked on Ali’s earlobe. “Not a fucking chance.” The keeper crashed their lips together in a passionate kiss as her hands unbuttoned and unzipped the brunette’s jeans. Ali moaned and started rubbing and squeezing Ashlyn’s breasts through her jersey. “You’re all I see baby” the blonde breathed out. “You’re all I want.”

The keeper pulled back to look at her fiancée’s beautiful, flushed face. Ali’s eyes were so dark they were almost ebony colored, the lids almost halfway closed from desire. They were both buzzed and Ali might have been a little bit drunk. Ashlyn was pretty sure a sober brunette would have balked at the idea of having sex in a public bathroom with people walking by the door and questionably thin walls.

“You’d better be quick” Ali warned. “Don’t tease me, just fuck me Ash.”

That was all the blonde needed to hear. It was the permission she didn’t realize she needed. Ashlyn pulled the brunette’s jeans and panties down in one swift motion, loving the way her strong thighs jiggled from the motion. She stayed bent down and took Ali’s boot off so she could free her leg from the jeans. Ashlyn reached behind her and put the lid down on the toilet seat and then moved Ali’s body over so she could prop her leg up on the toilet and give the keeper better access. As the blonde looked up and saw Ali’s pussy, already wet and waiting, she felt a twinge in her own core as her underwear dampened.

“Jesus” Ashlyn exhaled as she took a good, long lick through the brunette’s soaked folds.

She didn’t waste time. Ashlyn sucked and licked lips and slits and then moved her hungry mouth up to Ali’s already swollen clit. She licked around the sensitive nub and blew on it as she ran two fingers through the brunette’s silky folds. She sucked Ali’s clit into her mouth and pushed two fingers up into her needy core. The brunette pulled Ashlyn’s fingers in, clenching around them and squeezing as she moaned, trying to be quiet.

“Yessssssss.”

Ali had one hand under her own shirt, pinching and tugging on her nipple. Her other hand had a fistful of blonde hair in it behind the keeper’s head.

“Oh fuck yesssssss” she groaned again as Ashlyn started thrusting her fingers fast and hard.

Ali was already so worked up and ready that Ashlyn knew it wouldn’t take long to bring her over the edge. She desperately wanted to take her time and enjoy the brunette’s sultry body but she knew that was not the time or place. The keeper missed Ali’s breasts and her soft warm skin pressed close against her own. But the sounds her girl made would always make her lose her mind. The brunette was trying so hard to be quiet. Her whimpers and mewls and moans blended perfectly with the sounds of her wet flesh being pumped again and again and again. Fuck that was sexy.

“Oh, Ash, harder...”

Ashlyn felt the pressure increasing against her fingers and knew Ali was very close. She released the brunette’s clit from her mouth and used her other hand to rub harder and faster against it instead.

“Oh!” Ali exclaimed loudly.

“Shhhhhh baby. Not so loud.”

“Mmmmmmm...” Ali closed her mouth tightly and brought both hands up to work her nipples. “Mmmmmmm...”

She let out a strangled cry as she came, slapping one of her hands across her mouth to try to keep from yelling out.

“Yeah baby, that’s it” Ashlyn purred as she stood up to hug her, fingers still moving slowly inside the brunette, and help hold her up as the orgasm shook her from head to toe.

Ali wrapped her arms around the blonde’s strong back and held on as she buried her face in her neck and twitched and jerked. The keeper pulled her fingers out and Ali whimpered. Ashlyn brought her fingers up to lick them clean but the brunette moved her mouth to them first, sucking both fingers with a lustful stare.

“Fuck Al” the keeper said hoarsely and swallowed. 

“I love these fingers” she mumbled around Ashlyn’s knuckles as she licked. “These are my fingers” she announced, emphasizing the ‘my’.

“Only for you” the blonde replied sexily and then brought their lips together in a slow, deep kiss.

A loud knock on the door snapped them out of their lusty stupor.

“Someone’s in here” Ashlyn said quickly as she got some wet paper towels and cleaned her girl up as best she could. She helped Ali get her panties and jeans back up and slid her foot back into her boot. “God damn you’re gorgeous” she whispered as she stood in front of the brunette and kissed her softly on the lips.

“So are you and I’m not going anywhere until I get my taste” Ali murmured against the keeper’s lips.

Ashlyn tried to protest but the brunette wasn’t having any of it. She had the keeper’s pants down around her ankles in a matter of seconds, almost out of her mind when she saw and felt how wet Ashlyn was. Ali felt her own passion pool between her legs again.

“Fuck Ash, you’re so wet babe” she moaned as she moved the blonde into the same position she had been in, foot up on the toilet seat and leaning against the wall. “I’m gonna come again just from eating you out.”

There was another knock at the door and Ashlyn again said the room was occupied. Ali reached over and turned the water faucet on, hoping the ambient noise would muffle some of their own. She smirked up at Ashlyn and dove into her sopping folds, licking and sucking everything.

“I’m sorry this has to be so quick. But I’ll make it up to you later” Ali offered up softly as she started thrusting her fingers into the blonde’s ready pussy.

“Shit that’s good” the keeper moaned out quietly, almost in a whisper. “Fuck, I love your mouth.”

Ali stood up and kissed her fiancée deeply. She stood next to Ashlyn’s hip and bent over so she could thrust with her right hand and rub the blonde’s clit with her left. Ashlyn put her right hand on Ali’s hip and held her close against her while she reached down with her left hand and put her thumb inside the brunette’s hot mouth. Ali moaned as she sucked on her thumb that still tasted of her own passion. The brunette pumped hard and fast and rubbed at a moderate pace until she felt Ashlyn get close to her release. When the keeper’s walls started clenching around her fingers Ali increased the speed and pressure on Ashlyn’s hard clit. 

“Mmmmmm...fuck...” the blonde hummed and grunted as she climbed higher.

Ali pulled her mouth back from the keeper’s thumb and Ashlyn moved her hand into the brunette’s hair. Ali could feel her girl getting so close to the edge. She would normally pinch her nipple or slap her ass or something to give her that last little push. Instead, in the different position she found herself in, she moved her mouth to Ashlyn’s hip and bit down hard.

“Oh! Fuck!” the keeper said in muted shouts as her orgasm hit her.

Ashlyn came hard and her body twitched and convulsed as Ali kept pumping, slowly. The brunette leaned her torso across Ashlyn’s to try and support her as the blonde’s legs trembled and shook. After a few minutes Ali let her fingers slide out and stood up. The keeper pulled her into a tight hug.

“I love you so much Ali” she whispered emotionally from inside the hug. “Fuck all those windbags and all those other people in there. Fuck everybody else in this whole damned stadium. All that matters is you. I hope you know that.”

The brunette pulled back and met Ashlyn’s loving gaze. She kissed her keeper deeply in reply.

“Is everything alright in there” boomed a deep voice from the other side of the door.

They both jumped. Ashlyn quickly got her pants back on and Ali made a horrible puking sound and flushed the toilet a couple of times. The keeper grinned at her as they both washed their hands and made sure they looked presentable. Ali had to stifle a laugh as she pulled one of her own short hairs off of Ashlyn’s chin.

“Just one minute” Ashlyn called out with a grin.

They opened the door a minute later and Ashlyn had her arm around Ali’s shoulders as the brunette hunched over, doing her best fake sick impersonation.

“I’m really sorry” the keeper started when she saw the security guard standing there. “She wasn’t feeling well and I wanted to make sure she was ok.”

“Just wanted to make sure there wasn’t a problem ma’am. Do you need medical assistance?” he asked as he eyed Ali.

“No thank you” the brunette answered, “I don’t know what came over me but I’m feeling much better now.”

//

The next day, back at home, they brought each other up to speed on business and promotional things from the game and the party afterward. After talking for more than two hours about Knight-Harris and the deal with ‘Sporting Chic’ and all the social media buzz around them and how to best capitalize on it, Ali sat back in the nook and sighed.

“You’re going to have to hire somebody babe” the brunette said with a shake of her head. “There’s no point having the company if you don’t take advantage of the PR opportunities as they happen.”

They needed someone for a lot of things. Ideally, someone to help Ashlyn schedule all of her promotional requirements inside and outside of social media. Someone to ‘man’ the Knight-Harris personality online. Someone to look for new opportunities because, honestly, there was no way they could just keep falling into Ashlyn’s lap the way they had been. Eventually she would need to try to find new opportunities to market her brand. They spent another hour putting a list together of things that needed doing if Knight-Harris was going to get in the game.

“Why don’t you do it?” the keeper asked Ali as she sat back down after taking the puppies outside to pee.

“Well I’m already doing as much as I can Ash, but you’re going to need...”

“No, I mean, why don’t you run Knight-Harris? You just said yourself that you’re already doing all of those things in your spare time. I hate to remind you, but you don’t have any spare time once September rolls around. And we’re planning our wedding...”

The brunette had been chewing her bottom lip, deep in thought for a minute as the keeper spoke before she interrupted her.

“Would you want me to do that? I mean, I don’t have any experience...”

“Are you kidding me? Al” Ashlyn chuckled, “this is what you should be doing. You’re so good at it. Besides, you made Knight-Harris happen in the first place.” 

The blonde watched her fiancée chew her lip some more and let her have a few minutes to think.

“It’s risky, I’ll admit. And I completely understand if you say no” Ashlyn continued. “I won’t be offended. Financially it’s a risk. You’d be giving up your job to run a fledgling company with no help and I don’t know when we could start to pay you any kind of salary.”

“Yeah, but I’d have all the time I needed to get it going and help you get more sponsorships. It’s like an investment. I invest my time, for free, in the company so you can get more sponsorships and make more money. You don’t even need to pay me as long as you’re making more money to make up for my lost paycheck from work.”

“Hey guys, can we be bad and order pizza for dinner?” Whitney asked as she walked over to the nook. “What the hell is going on in here?” she asked as she looked at all the lists on the table.

“I’m trying to convince Ali to quit her job and run Knight-Harris so it will be awesome and I’ll make lots more money so she won’t need her old job” the keeper summarized as she leaned back in her chair and stretched. “And yes let’s order pizza for the game. We have time, right?”

“Oooh that’s a great idea!” Whitney exclaimed. “You’d be so good at that Ali. I don’t know how your brain works like that but when I was listening to you talking to Kristie and the girls last night about your ideas to help them grow...it was impressive.”

“Thanks Whit. I don’t know” Ali chewed her lip some more. “There’s a lot to think about, that’s for sure. But I’m definitely interested in doing it.”

“Now we just have to get you your law degree so you can be our lawyer and help us with all the contracts and everything” Ashlyn nudged her best friend.

“Is that what you want to do after soccer?” Ali asked, looking inquisitively at the blonde.

“Yeah. It’s always been my plan B. Now it’s my after soccer plan” the defender grinned. “What kind of pizza do you guys want?”

//

The wedding plans were progressing. The Breakers general manager had told Ashlyn under pain of death that the tentative schedule was for an off-week for the team the week of August 21st. He also told her that he appreciated her dedication to the team by trying to schedule around their games and also for postponing the honeymoon until after the season. She, in turn, told him how excited she was for the 2017 season and how proud she was to be a Breaker and that she wanted to play for the team until she retired, many many years away. The other piece of good news the Breakers received was that the two grass fields and practice fields had been approved by Harvard University. The top prospect that Harvard had been trying to land had agreed to play for the Crimson and her wealthy parents had agreed to make a sizable donation that was specifically earmarked for the grass fields. So, starting with the 2017 season, the Breakers now practiced and played on real grass. Another huge win for Ashlyn’s aging body.

And with the date in their hands Ali and Ashlyn contacted the Hammond Castle to find out if they had availability. Their first choice was the Saturday of the week off. Second choice was the Friday and third choice was the Sunday. The hope was they would have the whole week to get ready and try and relax. Then have the wedding and spend the rest of the weekend celebrating with their friends and family at the house and beach. The castle was already booked every Saturday for the entire summer, from May through the end of September. But that Friday was available and they booked it immediately. 

“One more day to celebrate with everybody after the wedding” Ashlyn said, optimistically.

They were both thrilled. Ali worried about asking people to get to Gloucester on a Friday evening in summer traffic but the keeper reassured her.

“Everybody that’s coming to our wedding will be happy to take a half-day and get here before they have to sit in hours of traffic. Trust me princess. Don’t worry about everybody else so much. That’s our day. They’ll find a way.”

Ali and Sydney spent the next weekend in NYC with Kyle looking for the perfect wedding dress. Now that the date was locked in there was no screwing around. The top priority from that moment on was finding the dress. The brunette was a little panicky when they started the first morning. Sydney made her have a strong liquor drink at lunch so she would relax a little bit for the rest of the marathon day of dress shopping. Kyle mouthed the words ‘thank you’ to the coach when Ali wasn’t looking. They had a much better afternoon session but still hadn’t found anything that Ali loved. 

“It’s only been one day, miss thing. You need to calm down” Kyle urged later that night. “Seriously, if you stay all stressed out like this you’re going to see the perfect dress and not even recognize it because you’re not paying attention.”

“You’re right, ugh. I know you’re right” Ali whined. “I just want it to be perfect for her.”

“For her?” Sydney asked and cocked an eyebrow.

“Yes. I want to look perfect for her. When she sees me I want to take her breath away. But not for me, I’m not that much of an egomaniac” the brunette giggled. “She deserves to have that moment. I want to give it to her more than anything.” 

“Listen sis, I think you’ve got that part covered” Kyle said gently. “Don’t you see the way she looks at you already? I think you take her breath away every day.”

“He’s right Alibaba” Sydney gave her best friend a side hug as they sat on Kyle’s couch. “I get what you’re saying, I felt the same way with Dom. But, honestly, she’s going to get that dopey, adorable, deer in the headlights look on her face no matter what dress you wear that day.”

Ali giggled as Sydney described the look on Ashlyn’s face so accurately.

“You think?” Ali queried.

“I know” the coach replied with a warm smile.

“I want you to find a dress that makes you feel like the beautiful princess you already are” Kyle added, getting a little choked up. “And that’s what we’re going to do. Maybe we’ll find it tomorrow. Maybe not. But we’re not going to get discouraged. Are we?”

“No” Ali smiled tearfully at her brother and hugged her best friend, thankful for such support in her life. “Thanks guys.”

//

The other huge news came from Sydney the following Wednesday night. She and Ali had just finished dinner at the coach’s house in Stoneham and the brunette was snuggling the mini Chihuahua the Dwyers had adopted the day before.

“So what’s going on Syd? You’ve been weird all night. Is Dom mad about the dog?”

“No, he loves Boss. Well, he likes Boss just fine” Sydney chuckled and frowned, dropping her eyes to the dog between them on the couch.

Ali put her arm across the back of the couch and squeezed her best friend’s shoulder.

“Geez you’re tense boo. Tell me what’s happening. I’m right here.”

Sydney took a deep breath and exhaled slowly as tears started to fall down her face.

“Syd, sweetie, what is it?” Ali leaned across the dog and gave her a hug. 

“I don’t know why I’m crying” the coach said with a shrug of her shoulders. “I don’t know what to do. I don’t know how to feel really...”

“Sydney Rae” Ali started, panic starting to rise, “please just tell me before I have a heart attack.”

“I’m pregnant.”

“Syd...are you sure?” the brunette asked carefully. She couldn’t tell if Sydney was sad or just stunned. Ali knew she had always talked about having kids and she knew the coach was madly in love with Dom.

“Yeah, I took about twelve tests and they’re all positive. I’ve got an appointment with my ob/gyn tomorrow after school to be sure. But I know I am. I can feel it.”

Ali picked up Boss and moved him behind her on the couch so she could hug her best friend properly. Sydney started crying again as they held each other. Several minutes later Sydney pulled back and wiped her eyes and blew her nose.

“I don’t know why I keep crying” she chuckled again. “Must be the hormones already I guess.”

“Well, are you happy about the baby or not? Are you crying because you’re upset?” Ali asked gently, not wanting to add extra stress or pressure to the situation.

“That’s what’s so weird Al. I don’t know.” Sydney shook her head from side to side slowly. “I’ve always wanted kids. You know that. And I love Dom like crazy so it’s not like it’s with the wrong guy or anything. I don’t know.”

“Is it the timing? Is it too soon and you don’t feel like you’re ready?”

“Maybe. We’re not getting any younger so I didn’t want to wait too much longer. I just feel...scared I guess.”

“Oh, boo, I think that’s normal. I think I’d be worried if you weren’t a little scared. I know I’ll be terrified, no matter when it happens.”

“You think you will?” Sydney looked up and met the brunette’s eyes.

“I’m positive I’ll be a mess. Can you just see me overthinking every tiny thing from the first moment I find out I’m pregnant?” Ali rolled her eyes and made Sydney giggle. “Lord help you all.”

They both laughed together for a few minutes as Boss pushed his way between Ali and the back of the couch so he could get to Sydney for some attention.

“How does Dom feel about it?”

“He doesn’t know yet.”

“Syd” Ali whispered. “What are you waiting for?”

“I want to figure out how I feel about it before I have to deal with how he feels about it. I know that sounds shitty...”

“No it doesn’t. I think it’s absolutely the right way to do it. How long have you known?”

“Just since Monday night. I should have had my period last week and then I didn’t feel right in NYC and all of a sudden it occurred to me. So I bought a bunch of tests and started taking them.”

“I’m not trying to make you feel one way or the other, I promise. And I’m on your side no matter what you decide Syd, you know that, right?”

“Why do you think I’m telling you Alibaba?”

“Ok, good. Just checking” Ali grinned. “For what it’s worth, I think you’re going to be a great mom. The best. I can tell you from personal experience there’s nothing, and I mean nothing, better than having you on my side. If you’ve protected me this well all these years how awesome are you going to be with your own son or daughter?”

“I guess so. I just don’t feel ready.”

“Maybe you’re not. Maybe you just need some more time to get used to the idea. But the real question is do you want to be ready?”

The two women sat and played with Boss for a few minutes as Sydney tried to come up with the answer to Ali’s question. The brunette got up and sat behind Sydney so she could rub her tight neck and shoulders to try and help her relax.

“Lord you’re good with your hands Kriegy.”

“So I’ve been told” Ali said with a smirk and a giggle, making Sydney laugh out loud.

“Ah I love you so much Alexandra. I don’t know what I’d do without you” Sydney said as she reached up and squeezed one of Ali’s hands on her shoulder. “I needed that laugh. I swear I think I needed it to help unblock whatever the fuck has got me so stuck on this.”

“Happy to help. Have I told you how much fun it is trying to have sex in a room with two puppies yet?”

Sydney cackled again and continued to laugh as Ali regaled her with a few stories about Ashlyn not wanting to traumatize the puppies by having sex in front of them. But then not being able to bear their whining from the hallway after she moved their crate out of the bedroom. 

“One night one of them yapped along in rhythm with...uh...”

“Got it, puppy got the rhythm down. Got it” Sydney laughed loudly again, wiping a tear of laughter off of her cheek as the brunette laughed with her and kept rubbing her shoulders and back.

“It’s been just over two weeks and we’re both tired and cranky. We’ve got them down to a schedule at night though so we’re only getting up with them once now. We take them out at 11pm and then we all go to bed. Then we take them out at 3am. Then not again until 7am. The plan is to keep pushing that middle of the night potty break later and later until they don’t need it at all” Ali explained. “You made a good call adopting a dog already house-trained.”

The brunette worked her hands up Sydney’s neck and over her scalp and they were both quiet for a few minutes.

“I want to be ready” the coach finally breathed out.

“What boo?”

Sydney spoke clearly, clutching her best friend's hand. “I want to be ready.”


	5. Maybe a Dream Come True

The Super Bowl was Sunday February 5th and Ashlyn wanted to have a party again, just as she had done the year before. The Patriots were playing in the Super Bowl this year so everybody was having some sort of party. It was also Ali and Ashlyn’s one year anniversary on February 8th and the keeper wanted to take her fiancée away for a nice romantic weekend. The trouble with all of this was the puppies. They were very close to being housetrained and Ashlyn didn’t want to mess that up by having them go and stay with somebody else while they went away. And she thought they were still a little too young to be put through a big house party. The other factor at play in both decisions was money. Now that the idea of Ali quitting her job to run Knight-Harris and help Ashlyn earn more money was something both women were actually considering, they wanted to be more careful with their money. Not to mention they were already stressed financially about their wedding. They both knew that their parents were going to contribute something towards their wedding but they didn’t want to ask for it or rely on it. They didn’t want to scrimp on their big day, but they also knew they couldn’t go crazy and have a full open bar or pay for a bunch of rooms at the local hotel for their family members. They had to be smart.

“I know my dad wants to pay for the wedding, or at least a lot of it” Ali said as they worked out together one morning in the basement. The brunette was on the rowing machine and Ashlyn was working with some weights as they talked. “My mom told me they’ve been saving ever since I was a little girl.”

“My dad told me he wants to help too, but I don’t know how much he can swing” the keeper replied. “I don’t want him to spend any of his money on us but I know I won’t win that argument so I’m not going to try.”

“I hope he doesn’t feel bad if my parents pay for more. Do you think he’ll be bothered by that?”

“I’m sure it’ll bother him but I don’t see a way around it. It is what it is” Ashlyn answered matter-of-factly. 

“I’ve been thinking about it a lot and I think we should just pay for everything ourselves and then let them each contribute what they want to contribute. And we just won’t tell anybody how much anybody else pitched in. What do you think?” Ali queried as she got off the machine and moved over to the weights. “You know, instead of my dad paying for the castle and your dad paying for the rehearsal dinner, or whatever.”

Ashlyn was deep in thought as she went through her reps. The brunette licked her lips without even thinking about it as she watched the keeper’s muscles.

“I think that’ll work great” the blonde finally said. “I don’t think anybody will ask, but just in case.”

“And if either of our families do ask we’ll just say that both families contributed and leave it at that.”

“You just said your dad was going to pay for the castle...” Ashlyn grinned impishly at the brunette. “Such a princess” she laughed out loud with Ali who rolled her eyes and grinned back. 

So, after talking about it together, they decided to just have a small gathering at their house for the Super Bowl and not go away at all for their anniversary. The joke was that they would celebrate their anniversary in August on their wedding day. Until then, they would go out on a nice date for their actual anniversary and quietly celebrate the best year of their lives. 

// 

Kyle came up for Super Bowl weekend to take those pictures of Ashlyn and Hilary Knight that they were going to spread out on their social media accounts throughout the year. They spent half the day Saturday posing and goofing around in different outfits and settings. At Ali’s urging, they also had Kyle take some very nice, professional pictures of the two women in dressy clothes. She wasn’t sure what she was going to use them for yet, but Ali wanted to have them at her disposal. They were taking a lot of the photos at the big old house because there were so many different rooms and settings they could use. The fancy lights up in Ashlyn’s studio were also helpful for a couple of shots that Kyle wanted to get creative with. They took a bunch of shots down on the beach, taking advantage of the cool grey light and the dark rocks. Ashlyn offered to put her wetsuit on and get in the water but both Kriegers said no. Instead, she put her cold water fullsuit on and let Hilary put on her wetsuit and they posed on the beach with surfboards. After Hilary left, Ali made Kyle take a bunch more pictures of the blonde. Ali wanted to build up Ashlyn’s portfolio so she could have a whole slew of pictures to choose from when she was trying to convince somebody to hire the keeper. She also told Kyle to take some candids during the weekend, and to not make too big a deal out of it. The keeper whined about having to change clothes again but the brunette ended that with a quip about how sad it was that the great Ashlyn Harris, style maven extraordinaire, was difficult to work with.

“Since when do you not want to try on clothes?” Ali asked as she needled her fiancée. “You love putting outfits together. You’re not fooling me. Let’s go Harris.”

“Maybe if you helped me get undressed...” Ashlyn flirted, shamelessly.

“I’m still here guys” Kyle reminded them from his spot on the master bedroom floor with the puppies.

“That’s a terrible idea. You know I can’t keep my hands off of you once I see your bare skin” Ali answered, trying to keep a straight face and not let her libido ruin her perfectly planned schedule of events for the weekend.

Kyle cleared his throat. “Seriously? God guys. I’m right here.” He waved his arm above his head, hoping to get their attention and put an end to the assault on his eyes and ears.

“Oh suck it up Kyle” Ashlyn teased.

//

The Super Bowl party was small but very fun. Niki and Molly brought Noah. Sydney and Dom brought Boss. Kyle was his usual entertaining self, far more interested in Lady Gaga’s halftime show than he was in the football game. It was a great environment for puppies and kids alike. Ali hadn’t told Ashlyn about Sydney’s news. She had almost spilled the beans several times but caught herself at the last second.

“So how are you doing?” Ali asked her best friend when they were alone in the kitchen for a few minutes.

“I’m good. I feel much better about everything. What a difference a week and a half make” Sydney giggled and rolled her eyes.

“I’m sure talking with Dom helped too.”

“Oh God yeah. It seems dumb to me now that I didn’t tell him right away. He’s always had my back, no matter what. But I guess I was just a little freaked out.”

“Freaked out about what?” Ashlyn asked as she bounded down the back stairs, surprising the two women standing by the sink.

“Oh just, you know...” Sydney said casually as she rubbed her still very flat belly.

“We’ve got lots to eat Syd. Fill that belly up” Ashlyn said, more than a little confused.

Ali glanced nervously between the two women.

“Wait, she doesn’t know?” Sydney looked incredulously at her best friend. “You didn’t tell her?”

“Well, no” Ali answered hesitantly. “It was a secret.”

It was Ashlyn’s turn to look nervously between the two women.

“I just assumed you would tell her” Sydney replied shaking her head. “You really are the best friend a girl could ever have Alibaba.” The coach hugged her bestie and kissed her cheek. “But you can tell her. We’re not telling anybody else so keep your trap shut Harris.”

“What the fuck are you two even talking about?” Ashlyn asked, a little frustrated.

Ali giggled and kissed her keeper on the cheek. She looked around the room and even glanced up the back stairs to make sure they weren’t going to be overheard again.

“Syd’s pregnant.”

“What?!” Ashlyn exclaimed and hugged the coach. “How did that happen?”

“I know it’s a foreign concept to you people but if you’re straight and you have sex you make babies” Sydney laughed out loud and hugged the blonde again. 

“That’s great news Syd. Congratulations” the keeper grinned. “You guys must be psyched.”

“Yeah, we are.”

The Patriots ended up winning the Super Bowl by scoring a touchdown in the first ever overtime in any Super Bowl. Everyone was thrilled with the outcome. Julian Edelman made the clutch circus-catch of the game that led to the game-tying score to cause overtime. Ashlyn looked around the living room as the game was ending and shook her head at her incredible luck. Her life really was amazing and she couldn’t be more grateful. The amount of gratitude that she put back into the universe every day was, in large part, in hopes of being allowed to keep her amazing life just as perfect as it was. She saw Niki and Molly petting a sleeping Persey between them on the couch. Dom and Syd were curled up with Boss and Freddie on their laps. Freddie had taken to Boss like he was a long lost brother or something. The miniature Chihuahua was a little less enthusiastic about the caramel puppy. Ali cradled a sleeping Noah in her arms while Kyle sat close by and watched. Ali looked over at the blonde as Ashlyn surveyed the room in her gratefulness exercise. Their eyes met and they grinned at each other, exchanging heartfelt I love yous without saying a word. And Kyle took more pictures. Some in the room balked at the camera.

“Come on guys. There is so much cute in this room it’d be a crime if I didn’t take some shots. You’ll thank me later. You always do.”

//

On Monday, Kyle took Ashlyn down to the Joseph Abboud factory south of the city and introduced her to some of the people he had met the year before when he had worked with them. They had agreed to work with the keeper and get her set up with a perfectly tailored tuxedo for her wedding. The stylist walked Kyle and the blonde through the many different options so they could get started. The keeper’s eyes lit up when she saw all the different suits and tuxes. She spent a long time admiring all the different fabrics they worked with. Kyle wasn’t sure how she would be in such a fancy, high-end environment but he had been pleasantly surprised by Ashlyn’s level of decorum. The Kriegers weren’t rich and Kyle hadn’t grown up going to places like that, but as his career and clientele had progressed he had found himself in his fair share of fancy places with fancy people. He always got nervous but he found that if he just kept his mouth shut and listened to what was going on around him he would be just fine and no-one would know he was nervous. Kyle knew that Ashlyn’s background was a lot different than his had been so he worried that her nerves would get the better of her that Monday morning. But the blonde was a wonderful blend of studious and charming as she worked with the stylist. Ashlyn was able to communicate what she was looking for much better than Kyle thought she would. He was impressed with her knowledge of suits in general. She wasn’t just a cute chick who wore a suit every once in a while. Ashlyn knew the difference between a sport coat, a blazer and a suit jacket. She actively followed men’s fashion and style and incorporated what she could into her own wardrobe.

“Have you ever thought about cutting your hair and just going for the whole butch thing?” Kyle asked bluntly as they made the two hour drive back to Gloucester late that afternoon.

“God I hate those labels. Butch. Femme. I just don’t feel like they apply much anymore” she answered as she drove the Suburu sports coupe a little too fast on the highway. “I don’t wear dresses or carry a purse but I love to wear make-up and make Ali kill all the spiders in the house.”

Kyle laughed. “You do? She actually does it?”

“Oh yeah” the blonde smiled. “She’s not afraid of anything. She teases the shit out of me but she does it.”

“Wow” Kyle reflected. “She’s changed a lot. She really is one of the strongest people I know.”

“And that’s another good point right there” Ashlyn added. “Your sister wears a dress better than anybody I’ve ever known and she can be a princess and everything, but she’s about as femme as my brother.”

Kyle laughed again at the comparison. “I never really thought about it like that but you’re right. She’s girly but she’s definitely not a femme.” He thought some more as the keeper drove them around the city of Boston so they wouldn’t get stuck in late afternoon traffic. “It’s hard to say what makes anyone fit any label really. You’re more sensitive than she is in a lot of ways, but tougher than her in other ways.”

“Name one way that I’m tougher than your sister” she challenged, surprised at Kyle’s statement.

“Well, I don’t know all the details, and I don’t need to, but from what Ali’s told me, you and she grew up very differently” he said carefully, not wanting to offend or pry into the blonde’s childhood. “We had everything we ever wanted, we weren’t spoiled...I mean we had to work for things and earn them and then God help us if we didn’t take care of them...” he rolled his eyes and glanced at Ashlyn to try and gauge her reaction to his words. “But you didn’t have any of that. And I don’t see how you can be where you are today without being as tough as nails.”

They were both quiet for several minutes. Kyle felt sure he had crossed a boundary and was trying to find a way to apologize without making it worse.

“Some days I totally want to cut all my hair off and just get a real short fade, like Ruby Rose, you know?” she finally answered his question from earlier.

“Oh I think you’d look totally awesome!” he enthused, happy for the change of subject. His hair stylist ideas percolated as he smiled at Ashlyn. “Would you keep it blonde?”

“I’m not sure. I’ve been thinking about letting it go back to my natural brown. I really don’t know. And I don’t want to do anything drastic before the wedding. Your sister would kill me” the keeper chuckled.

“No she wouldn’t” Kyle said emphatically with a shake of his head. “She would want you to be happy with how you look. Don’t not do it because of her.” He shook his head again. “That would make her kill you, for sure.”

They both laughed and agreed that he was probably right about that.

“I have a lot of new sponsorship stuff going on now and I’m getting lots of social media volume from the Patriots game and Julian wearing my t-shirt to media day for the Super Bowl and they all want me the way I look now” the blonde explained. “They’re ok with me being gay but I can’t look too gay...just gay enough, you know?”

“Have they actually said that to you?”

“My agent did and he’s right. I mean, I disagree, obviously, but he’s right that the companies feel that way. If I cut my hair and look too gay then a lot of their consumers get uncomfortable and then I lose my sponsorship. It’s just business. It sucks, but I understand it.”

“What did Ali say?”

“She thinks I should do whatever I want to do and we’ll deal with whatever happens. Her big thing is that my fans respond to me because I’m honest and authentic.”

“Well she’s right about that.”

“I know she is. As fucked up as that whole engagement Instagram post got, I got so many more followers and likes than anything else I’ve ever done. Well, except for the Championship winning penalty kick I blocked in 2011.” Ashlyn grinned. “Anyway, Ali talked me through two very different scenarios of what might happen, not specifically about my hair, but just with me and my style in general. One is, I change my look as I feel like it and I lose some sponsorships and some money but maybe I win over some other sponsors who want to prove that they really do embrace the gay community. I kind of break even that way. Lose some, then win some back. But the other path is where I keep my look the same for the foreseeable future, which honestly is ok with me. I mean, I picked this look and I love it. I’m not having some existential crisis about it or anything” she laughed.

“Geez, lay off the goddamned big words will ya?” Kyle teased. “Ali said you were smart and read books and things but come on now. Give the rest of us a break.”

She rolled her eyes as he giggled. 

“Well if I keep things as they are I get even more sponsorships, hopefully, and I work my way into their hearts sort of like a sleeper agent. Then, when they all love me, I make a change that’s a little bit more radical and they can’t be as freaked out.”

“Wow, sponsorship espionage...look at you two little plotters.”

“It’s nothing new. Ellen DeGeneres basically did the same thing. Just look at the clothes she wears now compared to what she used to wear when her show was just starting. It’s been a gradual move for her back to probably her real self. Not that I’m comparing myself to Ellen.” The blonde laughed softly and shook her head. “Look, I’m still just a beach bum from Satellite Beach. All I’m trying to do is earn enough money for my family so I can keep playing the game I love and pay the bills.”

“You’re not trying to be the next Ellen DeGeneres? Is that what you’re saying?” Kyle joked. “Well, Ali got her degree in public relations and marketing. She knows a little something about some of this.”

“She’s so good at this stuff. I had no idea. I thought I was just falling in love with a hot sales rep for windows and doors” Ashlyn chuckled again. “She’s a better agent than most of the agents I’ve worked with.”

“She also has a vested interest in making sure you’re properly represented” Kyle added. “Not that I’m disagreeing with you, cuz I’m not.” He paused for a minute. “I already told her I think she should quit her job and start working with you. She makes good money now but if she was able to spend time really working with you I think you’d make more money than she would have if she had stayed at her sales job.”

“You told her that?”

“I did.”

//

Ali and Ashlyn had agreed to go out to a nice dinner for their one year anniversary on Wednesday night and they were excited to spend some nice, romantic time together. They hadn’t gone out much recently, both of them happy to stay home together with their adorable puppies. But they knew it was important to actually leave the big old house occasionally and they were always happy once they did.

“Wow” Ashlyn enthused, eyes getting big at the sight of her beautiful fiancée. “You look stunning. When did you get that dress?” the keeper asked as she held her hand up and spun the brunette around slowly.

“Thank you sweetheart” Ali replied with a shy smile after she had completed her turn. “We found it in New York and both Syd and I fell in love with it. But they only had a couple of sizes and I lucked out” she chuckled. “Syd was so mad. It’s her boobs, they’re so damned big she hardly ever fits into a dress right off the rack.”

“No way baby, I’m the one that lucked out” Ashlyn flattered. “I can’t believe I get to walk around with you looking so incredible tonight.”

The blonde brought Ali’s hand to her lips and kissed it sweetly, making the brunette blush. The dress was jet black and form fitting with long sleeves and a wide, open neckline that showed off her collarbone. It fell just below her knees and was open at the top of the back, swooping down to just above her bra clasp. Her hair was up in a very loose knot at the back of her neck with a few brunette tendrils hanging down. She wore a silver choker with an oval shaped black center and black, tear drop earrings. Black strappy heels brought her up almost to Ashlyn’s height. Her two new rings from December on each hand and a little black clutch completed her outfit.

The restaurant was unbelievable. It was an upscale Italian fine dining room with impeccable service and stunning views. Ali had picked it out because of the description “old-world Italian classics served in a glam setting on the water with harbor views” and it did not disappoint in any regard. They were going to the Institute of Contemporary Art for a modern dance performance afterwards so they wanted to stay in the same Seaport locale for dinner too. It was one of the newer areas in Boston and the couple hadn’t explored very much of it yet. The brunette sat at their table towards the end of the meal, enjoying one of the most delicious wines she had ever tasted. She was relaxed and full and happy. She turned her head to look across the room towards the host station and restrooms and her breath hitched. Ashlyn was walking towards her on her way back from the restroom, having just posed for a picture with two grown women who appeared to be out on their own date. The keeper was gorgeous and Ali would never get tired of watching her. Her medium-length blonde hair was down, just below her shoulders, and it waved behind her as she strode confidently across the room. Ashlyn wore a beautifully tailored medium-dark charcoal suit. Her dress shirt and tie were the same black color and matched the tasteful, black, silk flower she wore in her lapel. Her silver tie-clip, diamond stud earrings and silver watch all played beautifully with her favorite two rings. She wore black lace up dress shoes and her make up emphasized her dancing hazel eyes and sharp cheek bones. ‘I’m the lucky one’ Ali thought.

“Everything ok hon?” the blonde asked as she reached the table and took her seat again.

“Yeah. I’m just admiring the view” Ali answered with a flirtatious wink. “You’re so beautiful Ashlyn” the brunette felt her emotions rising as she put her hand on top of the keeper’s. “I think that every time I look at you and I don’t know why I don’t tell you more often. You’re gorgeous honey and I’m the luckiest girl in the world.”

When they got to the ICA they checked their coats and picked up champagne flutes from the waiters serving the reception room for the performance. It was a special night because one of the original founders of the dance troupe was joining them to say a few words before the performance. And there was a silent auction fundraiser set up in the reception room that you could bid on before the show or during intermission. Neither Ashlyn nor Ali knew anything about the troupe or the performance or the founder. They had both made a list of fun things to do in the city for their anniversary date and this dance performance was on both their lists. They took it as a sign and bought tickets without knowing anything else about it. A photographer made the rounds and took a few pictures of them as they waited to take their seats in the auditorium. The couple walked, hand in hand, and talked as they inspected the auction items around the room.

“So last year at this time we were doing what?” Ali wondered out loud, trying to remember.

“Eating dinner on the couch” the blonde answered with a smile as she remembered. “Leftover food from the Super Bowl party, I think” she chuckled.

“Are you sure? We didn’t eat until later because we didn’t eat lunch until late” Ali laughed softly as she remembered how off the timing of everything had been that day.

“Yeah, it was like 7:30 when we ate dinner” Ashlyn replied. “It was late and we were hungry but we didn’t want to get up off the couch.” She leaned over and kissed the brunette on the cheek. “God, what a great day that was.”

“I just remember telling myself over and over again that it couldn’t be real” Ali admitted. “I was so afraid it was another dream that I was trying to prepare myself to wake up.”

“But it wasn’t a dream” Ashlyn squeezed Ali’s hand and pulled her so they were facing each other, just a few inches apart. She smiled and her dimple appeared as they stared lovingly into each other’s eyes. After a long moment the keeper spoke quietly, “Well, maybe a dream come true.”


	6. Living Together

The rest of February flew by in the blink of an eye. They had both been looking forward to their down time together and they were left wondering what the hell had happened to it. The puppies, honestly, had hijacked their time that year and they really couldn’t complain about it very much. They had been taking Persey and Fred to the vet every two or three weeks to get the next round of shots they needed and that finally ended halfway through February. The vet staff loved seeing them because the puppies were so damned cute. One puppy was cute enough, but forget about two of them together. Everybody came out from wherever they were in the back room or on their break to see the puppies. And Fred loved it. He was the most personable, lovable, friendly puppy you could imagine. He strutted around, in awkward almost-four month old puppy fashion, like he owned the place and was happy to meet anybody who wanted to come up and pat him. Persey, on the other hand, was shy and cautious. She wasn’t officially timid or too scared. She was just more hesitant than her little brother. It was like she was the thoughtful observer and he was the goofball who just dove into any situation. They were like that at home too. When Ashlyn called them into the room from wherever Ali had made them sit and wait, Persey was always the first one to put the brakes on. Fred came running as fast as his little legs could carry him and usually crashed right into the keeper because it hadn’t occurred to him to slow down. Whereas Persey stopped running about ten feet away so she could slide in to a graceless stop just in front of Ashlyn. That was the story of their lives. They were both sweet puppies who wanted to learn and wanted to please their moms. 

The women took them to puppy classes, for an hour every Saturday morning, as soon as their shots were completed. The six week ‘Puppy Class’ started right after their anniversary and ran through mid-March, just after Ashlyn’s pre-season training camp started. The six week beginner course would come after that, starting at the beginning of April. Ashlyn’s schedule had worked out well for them and it looked like she would only have to miss one of the classes in April because of an away game. There was a six week intermediate class they wanted to take as well but they would have to decide about that after they saw how the beginner class went. Neither woman wanted to be a fanatic about training but they also both knew how important it was to learn the correct commands and then be able to teach and reinforce them to the puppies. They didn’t want to have dogs that jumped on visitors or barked uncontrollably every time the wind blew. They also wanted to make sure they trained the dogs with kids in mind too. There was no way they were going to have a dog who took a toy out of a toddler’s hand or, worse, bit the child by accident while trying to get the toy. Their trainer had said it best at their very first class. ‘These classes are more to train you than they are to train your pup.’

During the week they took Persey and Fred into the backyard and practiced what they had been learning. They used small training treats as rewards in addition to the positive reinforcement. Neither dog was small. They were going to be medium sized, at least, according to the vet. Ali and Ashlyn had decided against using an invisible fence for their dogs. They would invest in a real fence that would surround their backyard and halfway up the side yard on the left side of the house. Ali had heard one too many horror stories about wild animals coming into backyards and the pets not being able to get away because of the invisible fence. At least with a real fence there was a much better chance that wild animals wouldn’t just saunter in for a free meal. The other advantage of the real fence was that it would, hopefully, contain any children that might want to play in the yard. Both women got the same faraway dreamy look when they talked about their future family. In the Spring, when the ground wasn’t frozen, they would have the fence installed.

//

Ashlyn had struggled with the change in her relationship with Meg since she received that text from Hannah before Christmas. It killed her not to be able to see the little girl for the holidays. She tried not to panic and assume the change was permanent but it was hard not to see the worst case scenario when dealing with Hannah. The keeper had sent Meg a letter each week, as she had done all along. They weren’t long, drawn-out epistles. They were short and sweet and adorable. Sometimes they had pictures in them that the keeper had printed from her camera or pictures she had drawn for the toddler. She sent her some sand from the beach in a small plastic bag one time when Meg had asked her to. Ashlyn called and facetimed but Hannah didn’t always accept them. The blonde sent her short videos when that happened, hoping to share whatever had been important enough to facetime about in the first place, even if it would be after the fact. She would often get a short video back in reply the next day with Meg’s excited face filling the screen. 

It was after the Instagram drama in January that Ashlyn and Hannah had talked more about what was going on with Meg. The redhead had apologized again for the cancelled December visit. She had sounded very sincere too but Ashlyn was still wary. But the keeper was thankful for Hannah’s help with her friend Missy. Hannah’s efforts had gone a long way towards building some trust back between she and the blonde and they both felt it. The redhead tried to explain the new situation to Ashlyn without having the conversation devolve into an argument or shouting match.

“No Ash, it really doesn’t have anything to do with you. Not really anyway” Hannah sighed over the phone. “It’s not personal. He just doesn’t think it’s right for my daughter to be spending so much time with an ex.”

“Is it because I’m a lesbian and he can’t deal with that part of your past?”

“I’m not sure. Maybe” the redhead answered honestly. “He’s Indian and a little older and he’s just not that flexible about some of those things.”

“How old is he Hannah?”

“He’s 49 but he doesn’t look or seem that old.”

“Are you sure you’re alright with him? Does he treat you well? I’m worried about you, and Meg.”

“He treats me like a queen. I promise. Why else would I put up with this nonsense about you and Meg?”

“So he’s ok with me writing her letters and calling her but just not with us actually spending time together and visiting each other? Is that right?”

“Yes, mostly that’s right. He...um...doesn’t always know about the letters and the phone calls.”

“Jesus Hannah.”

“I’m sure he’d be fine with it but if I don’t officially talk to him about it then I don’t give him a chance to officially say anything one way or the other. I’m just being cautious because I don’t want it to become a problem.” The redhead paused. “Does that make sense?”

Ashlyn chuckled “Believe it or not, yeah, it kinda does.”

They chatted about Meg and how she was doing in school and about her little friends. Hannah gave the keeper a few ideas for a birthday present for the soon to be five year old girl. Ashlyn got quiet and serious.

“Listen Hannah, I want Meg to be the flower girl for our wedding. We both do. I really need you to make that happen. Can we do that?” she asked, her voice steady but emotional.

“Oh Ashlyn, I think that’s so sweet” Hannah replied as her voice broke. “I’d love for that to happen...but I don’t know what Dev will say.”

“Our game in DC against the Spirit is June 4th. I’d like to meet Dev. Maybe it will help if he sees us together, me and Meg I mean.” Ashlyn waited for Hannah to reply but nobody said anything for several minutes. “Why don’t you bring him to the game with you and Meg or maybe we can have lunch before the game or something. I don’t care when it is. I’ll stay for an extra day with Joanna like always. Just please set something up.”

“Alright, I’ll try. Text me the date again.”

“And the wedding is August 25th, it’s a Friday. We’re inviting all three of you so you’ll need to tell me how to spell his whole name for the invitation.” Ashlyn paused again. “I really hope you’ll come.”

When the blonde re-told the story to Ali later that evening she watched the brunette’s brow furrow. Ashlyn had explained that Hannah had met Dev through a work function. He had hired the firm she worked for to organize an event for his family’s company in the DC area. He was smitten with the tall redheaded beauty and courted her like you hear about in fairy tales and romance novels. His family was wealthy and he lavished her with gifts and attention and affection. 

“So he’s her sugar daddy and he’s uncomfortable with you seeing Meg for some reason that we’re not entirely sure of. And she’s putting up with it because he’s rich and takes good care of her right now.” Ali summarized as they lay on the floor of the living room playing with the puppies and trying to avoid their razor sharp teeth. “Is that what’s happening?”

“Pretty much” the keeper answered as she yelped in pain when Persey closed her poor teething mouth around Ashlyn’s finger. “But Hannah’s helping me keep in touch with Meg. She’s on our side and I wasn’t sure of that before. And you should have heard her voice when I told her we wanted Meg to be the flower girl. Al, she was really touched and happy about it.”

“I can’t believe I’m inviting your ex-girlfriend and her strange sugar daddy to our wedding” Ali said with a hard to read sigh. “I hope you’re right sweetheart” she said to Ashlyn with a small smile. “I just don’t want you to be disappointed again. That’s all.”

“I know honey. Me either.”

“Ok well let’s get their names added to the guest list for the ‘save the date’ postcards” the brunette said as she sat up to get her wedding planning notebook from the coffee table. "And we’ll need to send Hannah the color for Meg’s dress too.”

“Thank you Al.” Ashlyn reached up and pulled Ali’s hand to her lips, kissing it softly. “If Meg can make it I’ll be thrilled and we’ll have the cutest flower girls ever. And if she doesn’t make it then little Allie will steal the show all by herself.”

//

The big old house had come about as far as it could too. The only thing left to be done was to find the dining room table of Ashlyn’s dreams. Ali had taken time in January to get all of her work stuff situated in the garage. Her sample windows were organized and arranged. Her literature and hand-outs were put away. She rotated her work folders in her three year cycle like she did every January, burning all of the files from four years ago in the big family room fireplace. That had been tedious and a little smelly so she made a note to make sure to hire the shredding company to come and shred them for her next year. Ashlyn had most of the artwork hung where she wanted it. Her plan was to move some of the pictures and paintings from time to time but she wasn’t going to worry about it too much. They had mixed in Ali’s knick knacks from her house with all of Ashlyn’s things so it was one cohesive collection of books, memorabilia and mementos. 

Both Ashlyn and Ali had joined Mrs. Riley in the kitchen for tea in January. They had offered to take her out to lunch but she had declined. Ashlyn had given her a nice bonus at Christmas and they were both very happy to have the older woman cleaning the big old house for them. As they drank their tea they talked about the changes that had happened during the past year. Ali and Ashlyn wanted to make sure the older woman wanted to keep doing the work, first of all. Then they wanted to increase her pay because of the extra person who lived there, Ali, and the two additional animals. They gave her an overview of their plans for the wedding and explained that they were expecting a lot of house guests and visitors and wanted to make sure that Mrs. Riley was going to be around and able to keep up with the demand for those couple of weeks. The older woman seemed a little offended at first, which is exactly why Ashlyn said they shouldn’t have the conversation with her in the first place. But then, after she had a minute to calm down and think through things, Mrs. Riley thanked them for the heads up and explained that she would get her daughter ‘trained’ on what needed to be done at the house just in case something happened where she couldn’t be there in August. And that had been exactly why Ali had pushed so hard to have that conversation anyway. 

Ashlyn had started doing some research on the big old house and its’ original owner Captain Andrew Leighton and his family. She hadn’t gotten very far but she was starting to figure out how to learn about old houses and the history behind them. Ali had helped her and shown her what she knew about Ancestry.com and doing some genealogical research too. Both women knew they wanted to know the Leighton family’s story and they looked forward to hopefully unravelling the mystery of how the big old house came to be up for auction when Ashlyn’s grandfather had purchased it.

//

In general, the cohabitation had really been easy for the two women. They were both thoughtful and kind and considerate which made them good roommates to begin with. And they were madly in love so if one of them had a bad day or left a mess behind one morning as they ran out the door it was easily forgiven. They learned so many things about each other and reached the level of intimacy that can only be achieved when you lived with someone. Ali learned that the keeper really was a neat freak about the bed. Not only was food not allowed in bed but Ashlyn wore fresh pajamas every night. She just wasn’t one of those people who changed into pajamas and then spent two hours watching tv in the living room or whatever before getting into bed. She even took her hands and wiped the bottom of her feet off before she got into bed. Ali’s bedroom quirk was that she liked crisp white sheets on the bed. The blonde had always liked to have colorful sheets, nothing crazy, but just different colors. They were still working on the compromise there, but Ashlyn really didn’t care enough after all to fight very hard for the blue sheets she thought she loved. The brunette also didn’t like a lot of clutter in the bedroom. That was a challenge for both of them. The compromise was that their nightstands had a good-sized drawer and then a shelf below so whatever was left on top of the nightstand would get put away when Ali walked by. Ashlyn learned quickly that if she was missing something she probably just had to open her nightstand drawer to find it. The same mindset tied into the issue Ali had of worrying about watching too much tv in the bedroom. She had used a small tv in her bedroom at her old house, but only if she was sick in bed or folding laundry or something like that. The brunette firmly believed in a peaceful and tranquil bedroom setting. She thought that it helped you fall asleep faster and sleep better too. She was practical about it though. She still used her phone in bed, for example, but she just tried to be aware of the electronics in the scenario. Ashlyn had been an easy convert. Some of her favorite time spent with Ali was in bed reading or talking. And even Ali had to admit it was nice having the tv there for the times when one of them was sick or just not feeling well. They would curl up together in bed and binge a show or watch a movie and she completely appreciated it.

There were annoying things about each other that they both tolerated most of the time, and blew up about every once in a while. Ali was notorious for leaving her bras and lingerie hanging all over the bathroom to dry. For days. Ashlyn understood that some clothes didn’t go in the dryer and had to be hung up. They had put a shower curtain bar up in the master bathroom tub just so they could hang said clothing items. But the brunette left them hanging there forever. And if they were only on the bar above the tub that they didn’t use as much as anything else in the bathroom, that would be one thing. But they were everywhere. She hung them inside the glass shower from the towel and grab bars and off the door so the keeper had to move all of them when she needed to take a shower. They would be hanging off of the towel bars by the sinks too and sometimes the sprawl extended to the bedroom where there would be hangers hooked over dresser drawer handles and pulls. Ashlyn enjoyed the sight of Ali’s unmentionables more than anybody but even she had a limit. Ali also had a bad habit of piling things into the trash can no matter how full it was. It drove the blonde crazy because it was her job to take the trash bag out to the big trash can outside the garage and it was so much harder to get the trash bag out of the kitchen can when it was overflowing. Sometimes it ripped because it was so full. She begged Ali to just pull the bag out, tie it up and leave it by the kitchen door for her to take out. The same problem occurred with the recycling and it drove the blonde mad. 

The keeper took good care of her possessions but was terrible about putting things away. She left the scissors in the family room where she had cut a loose string off of one of the curtains. She opened the mail as she walked through the first floor and left a piece of mail in three different rooms. She did the same thing upstairs with her toiletries. If she was talking with Ali about something while they were getting ready for bed or getting dressed in the morning she left whatever she was using all over the bedroom. The moisturizer would be on the dresser at the foot of the bed. The hand towel often ended up on the chair at the dressing table which was right next to the bathroom. The brunette figured she spent a good ten minutes every morning and again every night putting things away so they would be where they should be the next time she needed them. Ali’s biggest complaint was probably about the keeper’s shoes. They were everywhere. There was a pretty big coat closet in the mudroom where most of their everyday shoes were kept. There were a couple of shoe racks set up inside of it so they could be organized instead of just lumped in a big pile in there. The closet was right next to the mudroom door. Ashlyn had also built, with a little guidance from Niki, a big, tall shoe storage cubby system in the dead space at the top of the back stairs. But Ashlyn never ever put her shoes away, no matter how many places there were for her to use. Ali tripped over a pair of the blonde’s shoes almost every single time she walked into the house. Or up the back stairs. Or into the master bedroom from the door to the main hallway which was next to Ashlyn’s closet. It infuriated the brunette and was one of the few things that actually made her yell ‘Ash-lyn!’, two-syllable fashion at the top of her lungs.

Aside from those little things they were remarkably compatible. They liked to be near each other, regardless of what they were doing. If Ali was sitting on the love seat in the front parlor reading, Ashlyn would eventually join her there with a book or magazine of her own. Sometimes she just played on her phone and checked social media as she sat with her girl. Every once in a while Ali would come up to the studio and curl up on the couch to read or nap or check her phone while the keeper sketched or painted. They just gravitated towards each other. They were apart enough so it wasn’t creepy. But it was almost a subconscious pull that kept them orbiting each other at a close distance. 

Then there were also the times where they actively chose to do things together, like working out. Ali rarely worked out if Ashlyn wasn’t in the gym with her. During her off-season the blonde worked out every day and tried to do it in the morning to get it out of the way. That also left her the option of getting an extra workout in later in the day if she felt like it too. But if Ali wanted to workout she would ask the keeper if they could do it in the afternoon so she could join her. Ali started almost every day at her desk. Morning workouts had never fit well in her schedule, except on the weekends. On those days, the blonde eased up on her second workout, sometimes just guiding the brunette through her workout. Either way, she was always happy to share the time in the gym with her love. They enjoyed doing things together, like grocery shopping and running errands, and walking the puppies. They both knew that at some point their lives would get so busy that they would need to divide and conquer to get some of those tasks completed so they relished being able to do them together now. 

And Ali still liked her privacy in the bathroom. Ashlyn knew that if the door was closed and the shower wasn’t running that Ali was on the toilet and did not want to see or talk to her at that moment. It seemed silly to the keeper but she respected Ali’s wishes and didn’t tease her about it. But the brunette had no qualms about peeing around each other, which Ashlyn found interesting. The blonde had been shocked the first time Ali followed her into the bathroom and straddled her after she sat down to pee. They had just had sex and Ali simply said, “I missed you” and shrugged her shoulders as she sat on top of the keeper and kissed her. They had gotten more comfortable with each other and weren’t as self-conscious about some of their hygiene habits either. It’s not that they weren’t clean, they were always clean for each other. But things like shaving were less of a big deal. Earlier in their relationship Ali would make Ashlyn wait until she had shaved her legs before they had sex. She wouldn’t come right out and say it, but she would say something like, “I just want to freshen up” or “just give me fifteen minutes and I’ll be right back”. She had shaved the day before but wanted to be perfect before getting intimate with her keeper. Ashlyn had finally had to have the conversation with her where she turned the tables and asked the brunette if she would care that much if the keeper’s legs hadn’t been freshly shaved that day. Her answer was an emphatic “God no, I couldn’t care less” and Ashlyn wanted to know why it didn’t work both ways. Ali had finally had to admit that it probably didn’t matter all that much to Ashlyn if her legs or armpits or bikini area were freshly shaved. 

One of the highlights of their cohabitation for both women, although it took them months to finally admit it to one another, was the fact that neither of them expected or wanted the other to shave their bikini areas any more than just the basic ‘bikini area’. 

The conversation had started the previous summer at Sydney’s bachelorette party weekend down in Provincetown, after the girls had skinny-dipped in the ocean and run into the house naked because Ashlyn had hidden their clothes. They had all joked with and teased each other about their landing strips and other bikini area shaving styles. Ali didn’t spend time in locker rooms anymore and she had only slept with three women in the past decade so she was woefully out of the loop. She knew what Sydney did, of course, because they told each other everything. The brunette had been surprised to see so many different options on display that night in Provincetown. She finally got up the nerve to ask her keeper about it towards the end of their romantic 4th of July celebration last summer. It had been the most connected they had felt in a long time and Ali was wondering if she needed to do some things differently to help try and keep them connected that busy summer. 

“Do you remember Syd’s party, in P-town?” Ali began nervously as they lay together in their bed, cozy and naked and exhilarated after orgasms and I love yous.

“Sure. That was a great weekend” Ashlyn smiled at the memory. “You came home with a shiner and everything.”

“Of course that’s what you remember” Ali groaned and poked the blonde in her ribs as they cuddled together.

“I remember lots of things about that weekend. Why? What are you thinking about? You’re chewing your bottom lip and that means you’re worrying about something” Ashlyn called her on it, just like that.

“Well” the brunette started and then paused, suddenly more nervous than she expected. “We’ve never talked about this before and I just...I just want you to know that if you want me to do something different...down there, I will. If you want me to, I mean.” She blushed and buried her face in the keeper’s neck.

“What are you talking about baby?” Ashlyn tried to look at her bashful girlfriend’s face. “I love the way you touch me and make me feel. Sex with you is the best I’ve ever had...”

“No, I don’t mean that. But thank you for saying that honey” Ali got up on her elbow and kissed her keeper’s lips. “You’re so sweet to me Ash.”

“Well it’s the truth. No-one’s ever made me feel the way you do Al.” Ashlyn kissed her and they stayed together like that for a few minutes more. “Why don’t you tell me what’s going on in that pretty little head of yours.”

Ali took a deep breath and let it out slowly, dropping her eyes shyly.

“Do you ever wish I shaved more down there? Do you want me to?” the brunette asked quietly, without lifting her eyes.

Ashlyn grinned from ear to ear at the sight of her adorable, sexy, flustered girlfriend laying half on her chest. She lifted Ali’s chin with her hand until their eyes met.

“No. I think you’re beautiful no matter how you decide to shave. Hell, I’d think you were beautiful even if you didn’t shave at all down there.”

“Oh God. I’m not saying that” Ali rolled her eyes and got shy again. “Unless you want me to do that...”

“Ali, seriously?” the keeper lifted her chin again and spoke softly. “That’s totally up to you honey. Honestly. You do what you want and I will love you no matter how much or how often you shave. I promise.”

“Yeah, but what do you like?” the brunette kept her eyes on the pretty hazel ones in front of her.

“I don’t really care that much, to be completely honest. As long as it’s, you know, neat and clean I don’t really care where it is.”

“Come on, you have to have some sort of preference. Tell me. I want to know.” Ali kissed her lips again and waited for her answer.

“Well, it’s not what I like as much as it’s what I don’t like I guess.”

“Ok, good. So what do you not like then?”

“I don’t like it to be too long. I need to be able to work down there and not have to get my machete out, you know, to try and clear a path...”

“Oh cut it out” Ali giggled as the blonde laughed along with her. “Seriously. Come on.”

“Really, that’s about it” the keeper said with a shrug. “Just keep it short and I don’t care where it is. If I’m telling the truth, I like to see hair down there.”

“You do? Are you just saying that because you think that’s what I want to hear?”

“No, I really don’t like the all-shaved look or even the landing strip look very much. I think you look like a woman if you have pubic hair and I think you look more like a...little girl or adolescent if you don’t. I just don’t care for it very much.”

“Really?” Ali looked surprised as she studied her girlfriend’s face. “That’s exactly what I think. I tell Syd that all the time and she thinks I’m just being boring.”

“Al, I think we’re on the same page on this subject. Correct me if I’m wrong. But I shave almost the exact same way you do so obviously I like it like that. Do you want me to shave more?”

“No way. You’re perfect. I love everything going on between your legs just the way it is. Don’t you dare change a thing.” Ali moved her hand down and rubbed it gently across the blonde’s short, medium-dark curls. 

“Ok deal” Ashlyn chuckled and kissed Ali again, letting her lips linger for a minute. “And I love your short hairs too so don’t think about it anymore. Ok?”

“Ok.”

“Have you been worried about this since Memorial Day weekend?” Ashlyn asked, just putting two and two together.

“Maybe” Ali admitted shyly. “Not really worried, more like just curious if you were being too nice to ask me for something different.”

“Honey, I swear to God, your body is the most perfect and amazing thing I have ever seen in my life. I am so serious. It’s yours to do with whatever you choose and I’ll always respect your choices. But there’s not one thing I’d change.”

“God I love you Ashlyn” Ali said shaking her head slowly with a lovestruck look on her face. “Now let me get a better look at what’s going on down here” she quipped as she slid down the blonde’s lanky body.

And as far as the brunette had come in terms of being open and trusting about sex, she still hadn’t felt comfortable about having sex while she had her period. Well, nothing without a tampon anyway. Their cycles hadn’t exactly synched up but they were pretty close. Ashlyn had been gifted with one of those perfect, painless little three-day periods that every woman wished for. After all the crap she had gone through growing up it seemed somehow fair, really. Sometimes they had sex while Ali had her period but she wouldn’t let the keeper go down on her or do anything below the belt but rub her clit and grab her ass. She still got off and she loved getting Ashlyn off so it was a pretty good compromise.

And, true to her word, Ali had gotten better using the strap-on with her keeper. She didn’t think she would ever be as good as Ashlyn was, but she had definitely improved. Part of that could be attributed to the fact that she was more comfortable with the dildo and the harness in general. Part of it was practice and sheer stamina. And part of it turned out to be finding the best angles and positions to use in the first place. The height was better when Ashlyn got on her knees and Ali took her from behind. But, even after finding the mirror solution, they missed being able to see and touch each other in that position so they only used it occasionally. The blonde had found one of those big stuffed reading pillows with the stuffed arms at Target and bought it with the idea of flipping it over and using it during sex to lift Ali’s, or her own, hips up higher so the thrusting with the strap-on felt better for the receiver and was a little easier for the wearer. The new ‘reading’ pillow had made a huge difference and they used it often, whether the strap-on was involved or not. They didn’t have quite as much sex as they had at the very beginning of their relationship, but they still had a lot of sex. Sometimes they used the toys and sometimes they didn’t. Sometimes Ashlyn was the initiator and other times it was Ali who started things up. Both women were still easily turned on by a simple look or an innocent touch. The spark between them had definitely not diminished in any way.

Giving Ashlyn a sports therapy massage was something Ali loved to do. It was a great way to get connected, physically, and she selfishly looked forward to being able to touch her girl and make her feel good. The blonde was a professional athlete and her body was her most important asset. The fact that Ali was able to contribute in one small way towards keeping that body happy and healthy made her proud. And it was nice to give the keeper some pleasure and relaxation without her feeling like she had to reciprocate right away, or at all. By the time the massage was finished they both felt great for very different reasons.

Likewise, one of Ashlyn’s favorite things to do was to give Ali a bath. It had started the very first night they had sex when the keeper bathed the brunette with all the candles and flowers in the master bathroom. It had changed, over the hectic summer months last year, into a simpler act of running a nice aromatic bath for Ali and then getting out of her way. But the blonde wasn’t satisfied. Ashlyn really felt like Ali was the caretaker in the relationship and she wanted to pull her own weight. Ali cooked 80 percent of their meals and gave her massages almost weekly. The keeper struggled to find a tangible way to show her fiancée how much she loved and cared for her. She remembered how much the brunette had said she loved that bath way back on their very first night together and decided to bring it back. She didn’t always go crazy with the flowers, but she always lit candles and made sure the bathroom was cozy and beautiful for her fiancée. Ali had balked at the idea but agreed because she didn’t want to hurt the keeper’s feelings. She stopped balking after she relaxed into the tub and let Ashlyn’s strong hands bathe every inch of her skin. Ashlyn remembered very well how nice it had felt when Ali washed her hair for her during her shoulder surgery recovery the year before. There was something about the warm water, the strong fingers massaging her scalp and the intimate proximity of the woman she loved. The blonde washed Ali’s hair as often as she would let her. Sometimes they were quiet and still during the bath. Other times they talked and Ali had a glass of wine while Ashlyn shaved her legs for her. She let the brunette decide how each bath would go. 

The other sweet thing that the keeper did for Ali was to paint her nails. When it was hectic and busy for the brunette in September and October she would bring her laptop and some work down to the living room so she could sit with Ashlyn, and Whitney if she was around, in the evenings and watch tv while she worked. One evening Ashlyn left the room and came back five minutes later with nail polish and nail polish remover and cotton balls and sat on the couch near Ali. They moved the coffee table a bit and repositioned the brunette so she could keep working while putting her leg up in Ashlyn’s lap so she could paint her toenails for her. At first Ali had been annoyed at the extra distraction. It was already distracting enough trying to work and watch tv with the blonde. It wasn’t Ashlyn’s fault. There were only certain shows they could watch like that, ones where Ali only had to half pay attention and still be able to follow the plot. But pretty soon Ali would bring the nail polish and accessories with her when she carried her laptop and work folders into the living room after dinner. She’d just set the color she had picked out right on the coffee table for Ashlyn without saying a word. It was cute and sweet and intimate and they both loved it. 

They loved each other and they loved living together and they loved being there for each other and doing things for one another. Neither of them was naïve enough to think their life together would always be easy. But both women were so appreciative of the other that there just wasn’t a chance for anything to go really wrong, at least not anything that they could control. Even if they got angry with each other for something, all Ali had to do was think back to her four years of solitude and her attitude adjusted pretty quickly. Similarly for Ashlyn, she only had to remember how miserable or even disinterested she had been in so many of her previous relationships for her anger with Ali to dissipate. They were both so incredibly happy to be together that almost everything else paled in comparison.


	7. Falling Veils

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the chapter where Ashlyn helps Ali with her really terrible cramps.  
> Smut warning.  
> If you want or need to skip over that part, please make sure to read the end of this chapter for their conversation.

It had been almost ten months since they had first talked about Ali’s incredibly intense period cramps. She had come home late one afternoon at the end of February, dropped all of her stuff in the mudroom, walked briskly to the back stairs and disappeared up them without saying a word before Ashlyn could even say more than “Hey sugar plum...” It had taken the keeper a few minutes to recognize what was happening. It was like déjà vu. Almost everything happened exactly the same way that it had back in early June the year before. Ali had changed into loose pajama pants, traded her tampon for an overnight pad and crawled into bed, on Ashlyn’s side again, in the fetal position. The only difference was that she had eaten a bag of almonds in the truck on the way home and taken advil before she came into the house. The cramps were worse this time than they had been in June though. They lasted longer too. After eating half a banana while crying from the pain, Ali took more advil two hours later and rolled over onto her other side hoping for some relief. It killed Ashlyn to see her so miserable. This time she was ready. After another forty-five minutes of slightly less pain the brunette rolled onto her back with a grimace and moved her legs apart, her eyes scrunched shut. Ashlyn put the book she was reading aloud down and climbed into bed, careful to move as little as possible. She lay on her right side about three inches away from her fiancée, propped up on her elbow, and moved her hand down to Ali’s panties. When the brunette pulled her left knee up and leaned it out against the keeper’s thighs Ashlyn knew she had received permission. She looked at Ali’s face to make sure and saw a tear squeeze out from the corner of her eye and run down her face into her ear. The blonde gently kissed the side of Ali’s forehead and moved her fingers under the panties to her clit. She started rubbing softly at first because Ali wasn’t turned on so she wasn’t wet and Ashlyn didn’t want to hurt her. She wanted to lick her fingers to help the situation but she was afraid the brunette would freak out if she did that so she just went slowly. Ali turned her head and pressed her face into the keeper’s shoulder and Ashlyn kissed her head again. 

“I’m sorry you’re hurting honey” the blonde said quietly. “I’m right here though baby.”

Ali whimpered softly and brought her hands up to her own breasts and began rubbing them. It was so strange for Ashlyn to have her fingers on the brunette’s clit and to watch her tug on her own breasts and then see her face screwed up in so much pain. Ali finally got a little bit wet so the blonde took advantage and rubbed harder and faster. She remembered last time Ali hadn’t wasted any time because it hurt her to lay flat like that. 

“I love you sweetheart” Ashlyn whispered as she watched a small orgasm hit her girl, remembering how Ali had said it didn’t really feel like an orgasm at all. 

The brunette’s face relaxed for a few seconds as her body shook lightly. As much as the keeper wanted to linger with her and hold her she knew it was too soon for that. The cramps were still too bad. When Ali rolled over towards the edge of the bed and curled back up Ashlyn practically launched herself out of the bed, trying hard not to move it. She went to the bathroom and washed her hands, then came back to find Ali finally asleep. She covered her up and quietly crept down the back stairs.

When Ashlyn came up to check on her an hour later, Ali’s eyes were open but she hadn’t moved a muscle.

“Hey pretty, are you feeling any better yet?” the blonde asked hopefully as she knelt next to the bed so they were face to face. She was careful not to actually touch the bed.

“A little bit” Ali answered in a thin voice. “I’m starving” she whined softly.

“Can you sit up and eat or do you want a protein shake to drink or a protein bar...”

“Shake.”

Ashlyn was back ten minutes later with a protein shake and a straw. She also brought up some more water, another banana, protein bar, bag of almonds and some Gatorade. Ali propped herself up on her elbow and drank the shake while the keeper knelt in front of her again.

“Is it any better baby?”

“It really hurts” Ali whispered as another tear slipped down her cheek. “They’re really bad this time. I need more advil.”

Ashlyn did the math in her head. “Al it’s only been two hours. That’s too soon don’t you think?” She had taken advil at 3:30pm on her drive home. Then Ashlyn had given her more at 6pm and it was just before 8pm. “I think that’s too soon honey.”

Ali whined but didn’t argue which told the blonde that it was indeed too soon. They both knew she had made mistakes with this before and it had resulted in her stomach ulcers in the past. Ashlyn was beside herself watching the woman she loved in so much pain. More tears fell down the brunette’s cheeks as she finished her shake and moved on to the Gatorade. There had to be something they could do to fight the pain. The keeper watched Ali for a few more minutes and then got up and turned the shower on in the bathroom. She came back to the bed, naked, and pulled the covers back off of Ali. The brunette looked confused and surprised and in pain as she set the Gatorade back on the nightstand and let Ashlyn pull her up into a seated position on the edge of the bed.

“Just trust me Al” the blonde said as she put her arm around her and helped her to her feet. “Let’s just try it. It can’t hurt, right? And maybe it’ll make you feel better.”

Ashlyn led the brunette into the bathroom which was warm and steamy from the really hot water coming out of both shower heads. Ali dropped slowly to her knees and let the blonde take her t-shirt off. She rolled over and let Ashlyn take her pajama pants and underwear off, leaving the pad right inside them for the time being. The keeper opened the door to the square, glass shower, stepped in and adjusted the temperature so it wasn’t quite so hot. She turned back around to see Ali crawling into the shower on her hands and knees and she almost cried herself at the sad sight.

“Aw sweetheart...” Ashlyn lamented as she bent down to help her over the four inch lip into the tiled shower.

The brunette sat on the floor of the shower and let the water fall all over her. The keeper had planned to get her to sit on the built in bench on the other side but Ali wasn’t moving any more. Ashlyn thought for a quick minute and stepped back out to grab a couple of bath towels. She kept them folded up and helped her girl up a little bit so she could move one underneath her tailbone so she wasn’t on the hard tile floor. The other one went behind her back as another cushion. Ashlyn moved her down a little bit too so she was only leaning against the wall instead of sitting up against it. The blonde wasn’t sure how to do this without touching her and making the cramps worse. But, if it worked, maybe the temporary discomfort would be worth the relief after she had a good orgasm. Ali wasn’t putting up any resistance so the keeper knew she was desperate and willing to try anything.

“I love you Ali. I know this will work. Just try and relax a little bit if you can baby. And tell me what to do if I’m not doing it. Don’t be shy. Grunt if you have to.” She chuckled as she said the last few words and managed to get the tiniest of half-smiles from the brunette.

She felt kind of bad about it, but Ashlyn was a little turned on. Seeing Ali’s beautiful naked body always made her horny. That’s just the way it was. And Ashlyn loved shower sex and water so she stopped criticizing herself for getting wet and just focused on her poor fiancée. She kissed her lips and moved her hands softly around Ali’s bare skin. She ran her hands up and down her legs and her sides and her arms. She brought her lips down to kiss Ali’s nipples, stiff from the water and maybe the pain. When she sucked one into her mouth she heard the brunette moan and took that as a very good sign. Ali moved her hand to rest on Ashlyn’s leg next to her, just wanting some contact.

“I’m sure it’s not right, but you’ve already got me wet baby. I can’t help it. You’re so beautiful and sexy, even when you’re in all this pain” the keeper admitted as she moved her mouth up for a kiss and then over to Ali’s other breast.

Ali moaned again and moved her hand along the blonde’s leg in a weak attempt to participate. Ashlyn was kneeling next to Ali’s right side, just inside the shower door. She brought her right hand down to the brunette’s dark curls and scratched them lightly, terrified of putting any real pressure in that area. She looked up at Ali’s face but it was still scrunched in pain. The water from the other shower head was also hitting her in the face so the blonde stood up quickly and moved the head a little bit so it landed on her chest instead.

“Is that better or worse?” Ashlyn asked, afraid the water hitting her chest might hurt because of the cramps.

“Good.” 

As she stepped back into place Ashlyn could see a small stream of reddish water heading into the drain. It didn’t even bother her in the least. She was pleasantly surprised that she couldn’t have cared less about it. She was pretty sure she wouldn’t care but she had never done this before either, not on the giving end anyway. Ashlyn knew that there was absolutely nothing that Ali could say or do, or even that her body could do, that would stop her from loving her. The keeper hoped Ali would let her give her an orgasm or maybe two. She was going to try, that was for sure.

“You’re so fucking beautiful Ali” the blonde said as she got back into position next to her. “I can’t wait to touch you.”

Ashlyn felt her own passion pool between her legs and closed her eyes for a second. When she opened them again Ali was looking at her with a curious and slightly aroused look on her face. The keeper kissed Ali softly but passionately and was thrilled when she felt the brunette deepen the kiss with another moan. Ashlyn moved her hands all over her body again, starting with her nipples and causing goosebumps to erupt all over Ali’s skin. She moved her fingers between Ali’s legs and rubbed the whole area lightly, hoping to get the brunette used to it. She could feel some blood but didn’t care. She wanted to know if Ali was wet or not and worked her fingers through her soft lips to find she was not. Ashlyn moved up to circle her clit and found that not very wet either, aside from the shower water. She moved her mouth from one nipple to the other to try and help the situation. It was easy to forget why they were there as she worked up Ali’s beautiful breasts. She sucked them and licked them and flicked her strong tongue across the nipples, making Ali gasp. Ashlyn felt another gush between her own legs and thought about getting herself off to help turn Ali on, but she didn’t want to take the time while the brunette was still in so much pain.

“Ash...” she whimpered and met her favorite dark hazel eyes.

“Just give me a minute...” Ashlyn started to plead for more time to see if they could make this work but Ali interrupted her.

“I love you.”

Ali reached her right hand to try and caress the keeper’s back and all of a sudden Ashlyn knew what would help her girl get wet. 

“I love you too. And I love having sex with you. You’re so gorgeous baby.”

Ashlyn opened her own legs a little, from her kneeling position, and shifted a few inches so her body was facing Ali more. The brunette held her gaze, wondering what she was up to. The keeper brought Ali’s right hand to her lips and kissed it a few times, letting the brunette cup her cheek with it for a minute. Ashlyn used her other hand to slowly squeeze her own right breast and pinch the nipple, sucking in a breath as she did so. Ali’s eyes closed part way in response and then darkened when the keeper moved Ali’s hand between her legs. When the brunette felt how wet Ashlyn was for her, even in her current state of misery, she moaned and arched her back a little bit.

“See what you do to me?” the blonde asked huskily, loving the way Ali’s body responded to her. “I’m so fucking wet for you baby.”

Ashlyn leaned down and kissed the brunette hard, letting her right hand move back to Ali’s clit and entrance and rubbing softly again. The brunette returned the kiss with another moan and moved her hand through Ashlyn’s folds at the same time. The keeper moaned loudly and bit Ali’s bottom lip as she pulled back from the kiss for air.

“Fuck Al” she breathed out.

Ashlyn’s fingers felt the passion between Ali’s legs now and she started rubbing all of her pussy. She moved her mouth back to Ali’s breasts for a few minutes as she circled her clit and then her entrance several times with her fingers. She turned back sideways again, forcing Ali to remove her hand with a small groan of regret, so she could properly take care of her still in pain girl.

“I really wanna take my time with you baby, but I know you’re hurting” Ashlyn murmured as she kissed Ali’s lips again. “Let’s see if we can’t get you some relief.” She kissed her again. “Just tell me if what I’m doing makes it worse, ok?”

Ali nodded and bit her bottom lip. Ashlyn could see the pain still around the edges of her beautiful cinnamon eyes, but her face wasn’t scrunched up in complete agony anymore. But nothing about this was Ali in her regular enjoying sex state either. Everything felt like a half-response. Even the little moans she made sounded muted and strained. The keeper slowly put one finger inside Ali’s center, afraid of causing more pain. She moved her mouth down Ali’s body, trailing hot, open-mouthed kisses between her breasts and over her stomach and back and forth between her hips. She looked up to see if there was any sign from the brunette that she should stop, but there was none. Ali watched her cautiously, nervously, from her place leaning against the tile wall. Ashlyn began squeezing and rubbing Ali’s breasts with her left hand while she moved her lips and tongue to the sensitive spot near the brunette’s left hip. She heard Ali moan again when she sucked on that spot and started to move her finger inside her, slowly. The brunette put her right hand on Ashlyn’s bent leg, just to feel her. She put her left hand behind her own back for support or to ease a pain and closed her eyes. The keeper started moving her finger in and out and feeling around to see if there was a spot that felt better at that particular moment. Once she decided there was no sweet spot, she added a second finger and began to thrust in earnest. Ali moaned her loudest moan yet and squeezed the blonde’s leg. Ashlyn kept thrusting and working the brunette’s breasts. She moved her lips to Ali’s clit but the brunette pushed her face away with her hand, shaking her head and grunting.

“Don’t.”

“Baby, please let me...”

Ali didn’t answer but she brought her own fingers to her clit and started rubbing it. She closed her eyes and brought her knees up, giving the keeper more room to work. Ashlyn didn’t hesitate. She moved her body down between Ali’s legs and increased her thrusting pace and pressure. She drove hard and deep, hoping it would help summon a big and beautiful orgasm.

“Let me” Ashlyn said firmly as she moved Ali’s hand away from her clit and replaced it with her own. She was confident she could take care of the brunette’s clit, she knew how hard and fast Ali usually liked it to be rubbed.

Ali brought her hand up to her breasts and tugged and pinched her nipples as her whole body moved in Ashlyn’s rhythm. The breast not in the brunette’s hand bounced invitingly and Ashlyn felt another gush between her own legs as she watched.

“Fuck yeah baby” the blonde said as she saw Ali’s pre-orgasm reactions take over her body. Ali’s mouth opened and the blush started to rise up her chest and neck. Her breathing changed and her chest started heaving just a bit. Her legs started to tremble slightly, one at a time, as she climbed towards her release. Ashlyn rubbed her clit just a little bit harder and faster and curled her fingers inside Ali’s pulsing pussy.

“Come baby. Come on, let go for me” the keeper urged, kissing Ali’s bent knee and biting down on the flesh just above and inside it.

“Oh!” the brunette gasped and sucked in a breath as the orgasm hit her. Her body was still for a long moment and Ashlyn thought she had failed or that her beautiful brunette was only having another ‘not real’ orgasm. But after that moment passed, Ali’s body convulsed and shook as she came hard. She sat all the way up and stretched her legs out straight as the spasms shook her. She reached for Ashlyn and clung to her as the blonde moved forward, still right between her legs, and hugged her with the arm that had been rubbing her clit. Her right hand was still moving slowly in and out of her core. 

“Yes Ali” the blonde cooed as she held her. “That’s it baby. I’ve got you.”

Several minutes later Ali’s breathing had evened out and Ashlyn thought she might have fallen asleep on her shoulder. She was so still, and heavy. The brunette had let all of her weight rest on her fiancée, trusting her whole being to the keeper, exhausted from having her body wracked with pain for almost five hours. Ashlyn placed gentle kisses to her shoulder and neck as she pulled her fingers out slowly and let the water rinse them clean. 

“I don’t want to move” Ali said quietly, chin still resting heavily on Ashlyn’s shoulder.

“You don’t have to” the blonde answered with another kiss to her neck. “Did that help at all? Don’t talk if you don’t want to. Just stay still honey.”

“Yeah, it helped a lot” she answered, speaking slowly and quietly. “It felt incredible. I’m afraid to move and break the spell” Ali chuckled a little.

“Well don’t. We can stay here all damned night if you want to.” Ashlyn squeezed her up high around her ribcage. “I’ve gotta get off my knees though, they’re killing me.”

“Oh Ash...” Ali started to pull back but the keeper held her close.

“No, don’t move. I just need to sit on my butt” she explained as she leaned back for a moment to rest her weight on her ass on the tile floor. Ashlyn put her legs, knees bent, over Ali’s which were still spread out in front of her, their centers only inches from each other. They stayed like that for another several minutes. 

“Thank you babe” Ali mumbled against her keeper’s neck as she kissed it.

The water got a little bit colder and they knew they couldn’t stay like that forever. Ali moved her hands down the blonde’s sides to rest them in their laps. She grazed Ashlyn’s clit with the back of her hand as she moved and the keeper jumped and let out a low groan before she could even stop herself.

“Ashlyn” the brunette exhaled, suddenly aware again of how turned on the keeper was.

“No, I’ll be fine...”

“Babe, please let me take care of you” Ali pleaded as she sat up.

“No way Al. No way. I’ll take care of myself after we get you back to bed. I don’t want to undo anything we just did honey. Let’s get you cleaned up...”

“Show me” the brunette dared as she kissed Ashlyn deeply. 

The blonde groaned again when she felt Ali’s tongue inside her mouth. She was so ridiculously turned on that she knew she could get herself off in just a few minutes. Probably before they even ran out of hot water. 

“Only if you promise not to move. Just watch” the keeper challenged and quirked an eyebrow at her fiancée. “Can you do that?”

“You lay back and keep your legs right here so I can hold them and feel you” Ali instructed. She reached behind her and passed one of the soaking wet, folded towels to the blonde to put underneath her back.

Ashlyn did as she was told and lay back, still between Ali’s outstretched legs, her head down by the brunette’s feet. Their cores were only inches apart so she scooted back just a bit so there was room for her hand to fit between her own legs. Ali leaned on the blonde’s bent knees and licked her lips, ready to enjoy the show.

“Just like this baby?” Ashlyn asked, already knowing the answer.

“Mmmmmhmmmm.”

“You get me so fucking worked up” the keeper locked eyes with her beautiful brunette as she moved her fingers through her own folds, spreading them open and teasing her own entrance. “Goddamn you’re sexy.” Ashlyn didn’t waste any time. She slid two of her long fingers inside herself and moved them around while her other hand squeezed her own breasts and played with her own nipples. “Oh yeah baby. Fuck I’m wet for you” she breathed out as she watched Ali bite her bottom lip.

“Jesus Ash.”

The blonde started thrusting slowly but quickly upped the pace. At first she was going to put on a good show for her poor beleaguered fiancée, but once she felt her own fingers inside her she decided to just go for a quick release instead. She was horny as hell. 

“Fuck yeah” Ashlyn groaned out as she started thrusting faster and harder. “Fuck Al.”

The brunette’s eyes were focused on Ashlyn’s wet pussy right in front of her. The keeper’s hand blocked her view a bit but it was still a gorgeous sight to behold. Ali held on tightly to both of the blonde’s knees, squeezing them and pressing kisses into one and then the other, never taking her eyes from between her legs. She desperately wanted to stick her face right where Ashlyn’s hand was but she was so exhausted. She was physically drained from the pain and the shaking and shivering and she hadn’t eaten any food since lunch. She was spent.

“God you’re beautiful” she said quietly, barely loud enough for Ashlyn to hear.

The keeper moved her hand down and started rubbing her own clit, hard and fast, as her breathing started to get ragged and her orgasm approached. She thrusted and rubbed and moaned out loud as she felt it start to coil inside her like a spring getting ready. Ashlyn pinched her nipple and locked eyes with Ali just as she was about to come. Ali bit down on the blonde’s knee and sent her over the edge crying out her name as she went.

“Aliiiii...”

Ashlyn came and her body jerked and twitched as she rode out the orgasm. She tried not to touch Ali at all but the brunette was holding her legs so tightly that she must have felt every spasm that shot through the keeper’s body.

“Yesss baby” the brunette purred as she watched the love of her life flop around on the tile floor like a fish. “You’re incredible Ashlyn.”

The water went another few degrees colder and, as soon as her legs were strong enough, Ashlyn stood up and helped Ali to sit on the built in bench on the other side of the shower. The blonde carefully washed her fiancée’s body, arms and legs, wiping all of the sweat and tears and pain away. She stood Ali up and delicately washed between her legs. The brunette started to protest and pull away but Ashlyn just held her tightly and continued her task. When she was completely clean Ashlyn sat her back down on the bench for a quick minute while she rinsed herself off in the now cold water and then turned both shower heads off with a shiver.

“Stay here” Ashlyn said firmly as she put a clean dry towel around Ali’s shoulders. 

She stepped out of the shower, dried herself off quickly and returned in a couple of minutes with clean pajama bottoms, panties and a sleep tank top for the brunette. Ali let her do it all. What the hell else was there after what they had just done? She had just let Ashlyn wash her period blood from between her legs for God’s sake. There was no going back now. She held on to Ashlyn’s strong back as the keeper dried her off and helped her sit on the toilet so she could pee. She smiled gratefully as she stepped into her panties. Ashlyn had even gotten a pair of Ali’s older ones that had a looser elastic at the waistband so they wouldn’t hurt her cramps so much. This woman. This woman was too fucking perfect.

By 9:30pm Ali was tucked back into bed, again insisting on taking Ashlyn’s side because she had gotten it all sweaty. She watched the blonde move around the room putting things away and tidying up after her. Her eyes waited patiently for her to appear again up the back stairs bringing fresh supplies for when the brunette would wake up hungry in a few hours.

“I will never be able to explain to another person how good you are to me” Ali said softly once Ashlyn had gotten into bed behind her.

“Shhhh baby. Just try and get some sleep. You must be wiped out.” Ashlyn carefully spooned her from behind and let the brunette pull her arm around her and up high by her chest, kissing her hand sweetly. 

They were quiet for a minute or two before Ali’s curiosity got the better of her. She wanted to know what her girl thought about everything that had happened.

“I can’t believe how much that helped.”

“Did it really help a lot more than when I just rubbed your clit in bed before?” Ashlyn asked, propping herself up on her elbow and kissing Ali’s cheek.

“It helped so much more. My cramps were gone, like completely gone, until just a few minutes ago” Ali explained.

“Oh, they’re back already?” Ashlyn asked, defeat evident in her voice.

“Yeah, but nothing like they were babe. These now are like a four and before they were like an eleven” Ali clarified, turning her head back so she could see her keeper’s worried face. “Honestly, I can handle a four all day long” she smiled weakly.

“Well now we know what works” the blonde said as she kissed her fiancée again. “Thank you for letting me help you Al. It’s brutal just watching you suffer like that.”

“Thank you for being willing to help me” the brunette replied and then lowered her voice, embarrassed. “I still can’t believe I let you do that.”

“Al, listen to me, there wasn’t anything gross about it” the keeper said, voice strong and clear so there could be no misunderstanding. “The only thing gross was the pain you were in. If giving you an orgasm, a real orgasm with my fingers inside you, makes the pain better then I’m doing it every fucking time.” She was quiet for a minute trying to find something to say that would help Ali understand how much she didn’t care that she had her period. “You would do the exact same thing for me. I have absolutely no doubt in my mind.”

“I would. I would do anything to make you feel better” Ali replied, starting to believe that maybe it hadn’t been horrible for the blonde.

“See. That’s what I mean. You saw how turned on I was. If I had been even remotely grossed out do you think I would have been that wet?”

“No I guess not” the brunette giggled and blushed.

“Thank you. Now please, I’m begging you, let me help you when your cramps are really bothering you again. Ok?” the keeper pleaded. “And don’t wait until you’re in that much pain again. There’s no reason for it baby.” 

“I feel like the last little veil of mystery just slipped away” Ali said sadly. 

Ashlyn noticed the change in her fiancée’s tone.

“Why does that bother you?”

Ali took a few minutes to gather her thoughts.

“I don’t want you to get tired of me, or bored with me” she finally admitted in a small, quiet voice. “You can have any girl you want Ash. I see the way they all look at you and talk to you and flirt with you.” The brunette swallowed, wishing she hadn’t said anything. These were her deepest darkest fears and she knew they were unflattering and revealed her insecure side. “Usually, almost always really, I’m glad to see someone else appreciate you for the amazing person you are. It makes me so happy when people recognize you and admire you because you deserve all of that and more.” Ali pulled the keeper’s hand to her lips and kissed it, taking her time, hating the conversation they were having. “But sometimes, every once in a while, I wonder why you’re with me instead of one of them and...”

“Ali, sweetheart, look at me.” Ashlyn leaned up on her elbow again so she could see the brunette’s face when she turned her head back. “I know that feeling. I know that fear. But I’m telling you, without any hesitation or reservation or doubt, that I am so madly in love with you that those other people don’t even exist to me.” She leaned down and pressed a warm kiss to the side of Ali’s face. “I can’t believe you even think about that” she shook her head and smiled a little.

“It’s not funny” Ali replied abruptly.

“I’m not laughing at you. I swear. I just can’t believe you think I could ever get tired of you. It’s so far from the truth.” Ashlyn paused and got serious as she fought her rising emotions. “Honestly, I go to bed every night thankful that you haven’t left me.”

“What?”

“It’s true. I can’t believe I’m even telling you this” Ashlyn sighed. “I’m so so so so far from perfect and you know it. I try so hard to be my best self for you and sometimes I succeed. Other times I fuck up. Most times I’m somewhere in the middle. Average. Not terrible but not great either.” 

She paused again and waited while Ali slowly turned herself over so she was lying on her other side, facing the blonde. The keeper grimaced when the brunette winced as a twinge of pain rose up from her uterus.

“Ashlyn, sweetheart, I had no idea you were worried about that. I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have anything to be sorry about...” 

“Yes of course I do. I need to do a better job of telling you how special you are and how much I love you if you think about me leaving you every day. That’s a terrible way to live. It breaks my heart.”

“Sometimes the little girl from Satellite Beach just comes back and takes over my brain for a little while I guess.”

“Babe, I’m never going to leave you. I’m never going to want somebody else. I worry that I’m not good enough for you but I promise I will always try to be. I’ll always try to deserve the way you treat me and take care of me. Tonight’s a perfect example.”

“And I’m never going to want anybody else either. So your veils can come down or stay up because it doesn’t matter to me. Whatever you want to share with me I’ll happily accept Al. Personally, I love that you let me touch you tonight and clean you up and take care of you. I knew it was uncomfortable for you but you let me do it and that felt amazing. I’ve never felt closer to you than I do right now, so thank you for that.”

“You say you’re far from perfect Ashlyn, but I swear to God, you’re perfect for me. Please don’t ever change. Please don’t worry about me leaving you. I love you more and more every single day and I know how cheesy that sounds, but it’s the truth.” 

They stared into each other’s eyes for a long time, communicating so many things that wouldn’t fit into words. They held hands between them, right up at their chests, as their foreheads rested together on the pillows. There was no place else either woman could dream of being that was better than right there, in that moment. Their bodies weren’t as close as they would have liked but they were together, literally breathing in the same air, surrounded by love, devotion and veils that fell one by one.


	8. Babyshitting

The Breakers pre-season training camp started in the middle of March and everyone on the team was excited about the new season. There had been many changes already during the off-season and with the four first round draft picks expected to make a big impact on the pitch, players were optimistic. Their core group of leaders was still there – Whitney, Ashlyn, and Kristie. They had lost several players whose contracts were up and didn’t choose to return. They traded Kassey Kallman and another draft pick to the Washington Spirit for a young and talented defender, Megan Oyster. Ashlyn had played with Oyster during her rookie season in DC, three years ago and knew she would make an impact on the roster. And Kyah Simon and Louise Schillgard both chose to cut their contracts short and go back to their respective homes in Australia and Sweden. The team was eager to see how Tasha Dowie, easily their best attacking player through the second half of the season, would work with their new number one draft pick, Rose Lavelle, in the midfield. The other three forwards they had drafted, all speedsters, would complement both Tasha and Rose well if they could get on the same page. Tasha was amazing but she was not exceptionally fast. The roster was heavy, as it always was going into training camp, and the women were ready to fight for their spots.

For the second year in a row the Breakers had drafted a young, hungry rookie goalkeeper. Ashlyn wasn’t an idiot. She got the message that was being sent her way. The coach had told her last season that he wanted her around for the long haul and she believed him. But she knew she was one injury away from being replaced and possibly forgotten. The blonde had worked hard on her fitness as soon as she came home from her NWSL draft duties at Breakers HQ in January. In February she started working with a trainer three times a week at the gym Hilary Knight and some of the Pride players used right near Stoneham. This guy preached injury prevention and customized his workouts for each of his clients based on their sport and position. If Ashlyn was going to prolong her career she needed to get smart about all of that stuff now. Before the end of March she had convinced Whitney to join her and they scheduled their workouts together, which helped keep the cost down a little bit for Whitney too. They cut back to twice a week though because of their training schedule with the team. With Ali’s help the keeper had been eating well and, for the most part, behaving on her training diet. She didn’t believe in depriving herself. She had tried that when she was younger and all it did was make her tense and then she would binge on something and compound the problem. Ashlyn now stuck to a pretty strict diet of healthy foods and portions but if she wanted to have ice cream for dessert she had it. She was smart about it though. Instead of having three heaping scoops with fudge and a bunch of crap on it she had one mostly-naked scoop instead. It felt healthier for her both physically and mentally. If Abby Smith, last year’s rookie keeper, and this year’s rookie, Sammy Jo Prudhomme, wanted her starting job they were going to have to work their butts off to take it from her.

The coach called the two best friends into his office after the first few days of training camp and gave them the same speech he had last season. He was relying on their leadership to pull the team together sooner rather than later. He was going to let the players vote for team captain this year. After their training camp and pre-season games in Jacksonville, FL he would take a vote. He hoped it would be Whitney because she was an excellent team captain. He told Ashlyn that he was going to take her name out of the running, for the same reasons as last year. The keeper understood and told him she was fine with that. Coach also explained that he was going to be devoting most of his time to the offense this season. After last season it had been obvious that was the weakest area for the team as a whole. He was trusting Cat Whitehill, his second year assistant coach and their former teammate and team captain, to handle the defense and he only felt comfortable doing that because of the leadership Whitney and Ashlyn brought to that group.

“Coach, one more thing before we go?”

“What is it Harris?”

Ashlyn looked at Whitney and let the defender explain her own idea.

“I know it’s nothing new, but we haven’t done it much the last couple of seasons and I’d like to start doing it right away, with your blessing.”

“Start doing what Engen? Spit it out” he replied brusquely, the stress of meeting high expectations already getting to him.

“We want to host a team dinner every week, at Ash’s house. Players only. I’d like it to be mandatory but I know we can’t do that. But we’ll be putting lots of pressure on attendance. And we’ll need to borrow the vans to get everybody there.”

“Once a week eh?” he looked up from his laptop screen. “I like it. Work the logistics out with Maggie. Make it happen.”

As they walked out of the coach’s office to go find Maggie they heard Ashlyn’s name being called from the sales office.

“Hey Ash, I’m glad I caught you” Elaine breathed out as she jogged up to the players. “I just wanted to let you know that Steven Dudley just signed on as one of our official sponsors.”

“Wow! That’s incredible” Ashlyn enthused. “He’s the owner of Ali’s company” she explained to Whitney. “We have Hilary Knight to thank for that.”

“It’s funny you say that” Elaine began. “He was very eager to share some ideas for cross-marketing between us and the Boston Pride.”

“He’s not alone” Whitney added. “The fans love it when we support each other.”

“Oh, I almost forgot to tell you” Ashlyn cut in, excitement in her voice. “Julian Edelman wants to come to our home opener...”

“Do you mean, Super Bowl winning superstar Julian Edelman?!” Elaine asked, her jaw practically on the floor.

“Yeah, he’ll be back in Boston for business that week and he’s going to hang around until our game on Sunday and the marathon on Monday before he flies back to California. Can we promote that? He’s trying to get the Lombardi trophy too but he’s not sure about the schedule for that yet.”

“We’ll put something together right away and get it out there. That game is on Easter Sunday but being the home opener, it will still sell out fast.” Elaine started to walk away and then turned one last time. “Did you both get your press requests?”

“Yep, we’re on it. Thanks Elaine” Whitney answered with a grin. 

As the two women walked back to the locker room they couldn’t help but feel excited about the 2017 season. The league had just announced a huge deal with Lifetime Television, an A&E Network company, to televise an NWSL game every single week of the season. A&E was also taking a role on the board of directors of the NWSL and also becoming a major sponsor. It was a three-year deal and a major achievement for the young league. 

“I’ve got a good feeling about this year Ash.”

“Me too Whit. Me too.”

//

Ali had made a big decision too. After talking it over with Ashlyn and Kyle and Sydney and both her parents, the brunette decided that she would quit her job selling windows and start selling Ashlyn Harris instead. She was going to keep her job through the rest of the year and just try and take care of her best customers. She would have to take a step back and spend less time doing that job so she could start working on her new job part time too. It was kind of a shitty thing to do to her company but, everybody agreed, she had earned it and she had a wedding to pay for and it wasn’t that big of a deal. She worked on straight commission so it wasn’t like she was stealing a salary from the company. The brunette had felt guilty about it for about a week after she made her decision. And then one of the new guys poached another one of her customers and the guilt vanished. For once in her entire life she wasn’t working as hard as she could at something. It felt foreign and wrong but she did it anyway, doing something truly selfish for the first time in her professional career. What it meant for her daily life was that she wasn’t out looking for new business anymore. She handled the work that came her way. It meant she had more time in the home office which meant she was able to spend more time getting Knight-Harris operational. Ali had met a few times with her friend Heather who had left Ali’s sales company years ago and gone into marketing in one of the big firms in Boston. Heather was the one who had run the Boston Marathon and she and Ali had always been close friends. Heather’s main focus was electronic publishing but she had gone back and gotten her MBA through evening classes over the past several years. She helped Ali formulate a plan that would get the brunette feeling more comfortable in her new role. 

Next year, in January, Ali would enroll in an MBA program that covered sports and entertainment management with a focus on business. It was a two-year program at Northeastern University in Boston but she was confident she could complete it in one year if she did it full time. That MBA was to help her more long term goals, like running Knight-Harris a long time into the future. Her immediate goals were to get certified as a sports agent and then get registered as an agent with the NWSL and US Soccer and FIFA. Ali didn’t want to be a sports agent for anybody else but Ashlyn. For the rest of the year Ashlyn was going to stay with her current agent. Ideally, they would try and get him to come work at Knight-Harris but they both knew it was a long shot. They didn’t have much to offer him yet but both women liked him and respected the work he had done for the keeper. Knight-Harris had been set up as a sports and entertainment firm that could do anything from marketing or representing an athlete to planning a corporate event. They had only one client so far and that was about to be Sporting Chic. So Ali’s day to day duties for Knight-Harris were to help Sporting Chic get off the ground and get noticed on social media and then to try and get more sponsorships for Ashlyn and keep her name on the tips of people’s tongues.

What Ali really wished they had was a lawyer who knew sports and entertainment contracts inside and out. That was a hole in their company and in their group of friends that they didn’t know how to fill. For the time being they were paying Ken Krieger’s colleague to help them when they needed legal counsel. There was no other option at the moment. He was exactly what they needed and he had helped them set up the company and was familiar with everything they were doing. He was just really expensive. 

Ali had also spoken at length with Molly about getting her MBA and setting up the new company. Molly had the most experience, at both things, of anybody they knew. She gave Ali tons of advice about getting the MBA done in one year and actually getting the most out of the program she had chosen. She also highly recommended getting some experience with one of the bigger sports agencies in the area if possible. There was no way Ali could manufacture the relationships and networks it would take to be a successful sports agent. It would take time for those to develop and the brunette knew that. She wasn’t interested in becoming the next great sports agent. She really wasn’t. She just didn’t want to screw up anything for her fiancée. Ali knew she could earn Ashlyn more money and that’s what drove her through the sea of complicated changes.

Ashlyn had designed their logo and it was the letters K and H with a small hyphen between them, K-H. It was clean and professional looking. But if you looked closely you would see the vertical part of the K was a hockey stick and the bottom part of the H was a soccer goal. It was subtle but perfect and Hilary loved it. The hockey star had been an easy sell regarding Ali starting to take over the day to day operations of K-H. Hilary was a Krieger believer and knew that Ali would do what was best for the company. Ali, for her part, was nervous but excited to start the new chapter in her career.

//

“Come on babe, I wanna see it!” Ali squealed excitedly.

“Ok ok, just let me get in the door” the keeper chuckled as she stepped out of her shoes and took her coat off in the mudroom.

It was early evening the first week of March and Ali stood two feet away anxiously flexing up and down on her toes with her arms extended straight down in front of her and joined at the fingers. Ashlyn smiled at her, still surprised at how adorable the brunette could be at any given moment and for almost any reason. She hung her keys up on her hook by the bench, stepping around Ali to do so.

“Come on...” the brunette whined and stood on her tiptoes again.

“You’re the one who’s always telling me to put my things away and now here you are trying to hurry me out of my good habits” Ashlyn said and shook her head at her pouting fiancée.

“Ugh, you’re right. Whatever. I just wanna see it Ash but if you don’t wanna show it to me then that’s all you have to say.” Ali shrugged her shoulders and started to walk into the living room with a toss of her long dark hair.

“Oh don’t go pout, princess.” The blonde grabbed Ali’s wrist just before it disappeared into the living room with the rest of the beautiful brunette. “I’m ready now, come back.” They tugged against each other for a minute longer. “I’m glad you’re excited to see my new tattoo” Ashlyn admitted. “I’m always a little afraid you won’t like it though. I get nervous.”

“And shy?” Ali questioned as she poked her head back through the doorway into the mudroom.

Ashlyn released her wrist and pulled the sleeve of her flannel shirt up past the elbow of her right arm. She made a fist and stuck her arm out, showing the brunette the side of her right forearm.

“Wow, it’s so big” Ali commented breathlessly. “I mean, her face is so big, it’s really a close-up. It’s beautiful Ashlyn.” Ali had both her hands on the keeper’s arm holding it in place and turning it a little from side to side to take in the edges of the new tattoo.

It was ten inches, maybe 12 inches, long and six inches wide. The woman’s face with the flower coming out of her head was centered on Ashlyn’s right elbow, on the outside of her arm. The black ink tattoo had remarkable detail, particularly around the eyes. 

“She does an amazing job with eyes. I thought the owl’s eyes were the best I’d ever seen but these are incredible. It’s like looking at real eyes” Ali continued examining the art work on her girl’s arm.

“Do you like it?” the keeper asked bashfully. “You don’t have to say yes, you know. You’re allowed to not like it...”

This was the tattoo that Ashlyn and Naomi, her tattoo artist in Cambridge, had designed based on the poem Ashlyn loved so much. In truth, the blonde had designed everything about it, but Naomi had added a few cool things to it as they plotted it out at their last meeting. 

“Say it for me again” Ali interrupted and asked softly as she laced her fingers with the blonde’s and squeezed them.

Ashlyn recited the r.m. drake poem from memory.

“’she was made of all  
complicated things, but  
she always had a simplicity  
in the way she laughed.  
and that is all she ever  
wanted, for someone to  
understand her while she  
was out making sense of her  
soul and the handful of  
flowers blooming from the  
top of her skull.’” 

Ali was quiet for a minute and then met her keeper’s gaze. “Do you feel like I understand you Ash?”

Ashlyn squeezed her hand and smiled at her. “Nobody’s ever understood me the way you do Al. Nobody.”

The brunette smiled back and they stared at each other for a minute before Ali looked back down at the tattoo.

“Honey I think it’s beautiful. Well, I think it’ll be beautiful very soon” Ali chuckled as she leaned in to give her fiancée a kiss. “Welcome home sweetheart, I missed you.”

//

Baby news kept coming in and if the happy couple hadn’t been thinking about kids of their own already, they certainly would have been forced to think about it in March. Chris and Beth had Facetimed the happy couple to share the news that they were expecting their first child at the end of July. Beth’s first trimester was complete and they were telling the people they loved how lucky they felt to be blessed with the baby news. Ashlyn was particularly moved by the announcement. She was emotional about a new generation of Harrises joining the family. So far the pregnancy had been smooth. Beth had experienced morning sickness but nothing unusual and she definitely seemed to be glowing in the Facetime video. 

Sydney’s pregnancy was still top secret. They weren’t going to tell people until the second trimester started in late-April. She was due at the end of September and both she and Dom were embracing the new chapter in their lives. Instead of drinking wine during their Wednesday night get-togethers, Sydney and Ali experimented with healthy vitamin smoothies and ate for three. They had each bought a couple of baby name books and laughed out loud when they realized it. Ali had put hers down on Syd’s coffee table shortly after she and the coach had talked about the baby for the first time. They talked about turning the guest room into the nursery and tried to imagine what the small house would feel like with a tiny new resident.

And baby Noah had turned one in December. Ali and Ashlyn had attended his birthday party amidst Christmas engagement festivities. Everyone agreed the big party for the one year old was silly, but they all did it anyway. Niki and Molly’s second wedding anniversary had been in February and they were trying to celebrate it by going back up to Maine for a weekend in March. They both had lots of family around to babysit but for some reason that particular weekend it was impossible for anybody in either family to watch Noah. The keeper had volunteered and the weekend before Breakers training camp started they babysat Noah at the big old house. Niki took pity on her friend and made the arrangements so it was just one night. They dropped Noah off late Saturday morning, after his nap, and planned to return Sunday afternoon. It was always easier to babysit a baby in their own home with all of the baby needs and wants right there at your disposal. But with the puppies in the picture, baby Noah had to come to Gloucester. He was used to being in different places so nobody was really worried about it.

The babysitting had started off just fine. They all played together on the floor in the family room and introduced Persey and Fred to the adorable 15 month old. They already had gates up between the mudroom and the living room and the family room and the dining room to keep the puppies out of trouble. They had child-proofed that area as best they could, moving small objects up high out of reach and tucking cords away out of sight so they didn’t tempt little Noah. He had just started walking so they needed to be careful about sharp edges on coffee tables and other hazardous obstacles that would cause harm if the little guy stumbled into them or fell onto them. They locked all the doors so he couldn’t accidentally leave the house without one of them knowing about it. Niki had warned Ashlyn about Noah’s habit of turning doorknobs. They weren’t convinced he was actually trying to go outside though. Niki thought he just liked to turn things. 

They fed him his lunch in his little portable high-chair and quickly realized they had to put the puppies in their crates or Noah would just give them everything that he was supposed to be eating. It was a great example of sharing but dogs weren’t really supposed to have people food and little boys needed to eat their lunch so they wouldn’t be cranky monsters after their naps. Once he understood that the puppies weren’t coming back Noah settled in and enjoyed his lunch without much fuss. He was learning how to use eating utensils but was much more successful with his hands. His modified fork/spoon spent more time on top of his head, clutched tightly in one of his fists, than it did in any of the food. 

“What a life” Ashlyn commented as she made notes on the schedule Molly had written down for them for each day. “He wakes up, eats, plays, snacks, and naps on a loop three times a day.” She chuckled as she wrote down that he had eaten most of his lunch and had gone down for his nap at 3:30 as scheduled, but hadn’t pooped yet that day. 

“Well, one more loop after this nap but with a bath in there too, right?” Ali asked as she put two sippy cups, a tri-sectioned plastic plate and four different fork/spoons into the drying rack next to the sink.

“Oh yeah, bath right after dinner. Little dude loses some play time and has to take a bath. That’s tough” the keeper said as she sat down in one of the chairs at the small kitchen table. 

“Bath time is play time too for babies” the brunette replied as she dried her hands, leaned against the counter and took a sip from the glass of water she’d been trying to drink for an hour. “At least it was for little Allie.”

“I didn’t get to do this stuff with Meg. She was already three when I met her” Ashlyn said wistfully as she drifted off into her memories of the little girl who still held a big part of her heart. “I can’t believe she just turned five on Wednesday. You should have heard her talking on the phone. She’s getting so big.”

Ali finished her water and crossed over to the chair where the blonde was sitting. She stood behind it and hugged Ashlyn tightly, kissing her cheek.

“I know you miss her a lot babe. I’m sorry.”

“I’ve only missed two visits with her, Christmas and now her birthday, but it feels like forever” she answered, patting the brunette’s forearms that were across her chest. “But at least we can still Facetime and talk on the phone, when Dev’s not around. She still knows I love her.”

One of the puppies whined and reminded them that they needed some attention too. Ali kissed her fiancée’s cheek again and went into the mudroom to open the doors of their crates. Both puppies ran circles around her legs, crashing into each other and wagging their entire bodies.

“Come on doggies, let’s go outside!” Ali enthused as she put their leashes on them and zipped up her coat.

The smell hit Ashlyn in the face as soon as she opened the door to Meg’s room. She walked over to the crib and tried not to make a horrible face when she saw what was inside. Noah had finally pooped. It was everywhere. He was wearing adorable little one-piece dinosaur pajamas and he was lying in a circle of brownish liquid. The poop had seeped through the pajamas and soaked into the sheet and probably the underpad over the mattress. He wasn’t quite awake yet but it was definitely time to wake him up or he wouldn’t sleep that night.

“Come on buddy” Ashlyn cooed gently as she placed her hand on his chest and shook him the tiniest bit. “Time to wake up” she sing-songed. She thought for a minute before going over to the monitor and speaking into it. “Ali I need your help up here, right away please.”

“Holy...” the brunette caught herself before finishing her exclamation. “Wow that’s a lot of poop going on in there!” They were both standing next to the crib trying to formulate a plan to get the baby, covered in poop, out of the crib that was covered in poop while not getting poop anyplace else.

“I think we just have to put him right into the tub” Ashlyn suggested. “I’ll hold him up and you take everything off of him and then I’ll walk him right into the tub.”

“Good plan. I like it” the brunette nodded her head.

Ashlyn got ready to pick him up but Ali grabbed her arm at the last second.

“Wait, we’ve gotta get the tub ready” she said in a slight panic.

Ashlyn rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Yeah, and some clothes and a diaper for him for right after the bath. And he’s going to be hungry so we should do this as fast as possible, don’t you think?” the keeper looked at her fiancée for confirmation.

“Yep. I’ll get the tub ready, you get the clothes and diaper ready” Ali said as she walked quickly across the hall into the hall bathroom.

Whitney was coming home tomorrow and Ashlyn didn’t want to use her bathroom and have to clean it again before she arrived.

Thirty minutes later Noah was clean but cranky. They assumed he was hungry and had been conducting bath time at a brisk pace. They were almost an hour behind schedule at that point because they hadn’t gotten him up from his nap right on time while they prepared. Ashlyn knelt next to the tub and lifted Noah up so Ali could wrap the towel around him. As the brunette waited for Ashlyn to turn sideways, away from the tub, with the baby boy she smiled at the sight of her keeper being so tender with the fussy baby.

“Here we go big boy” the blonde said sweetly, still kneeling. “I know you’re hungry, let’s get you dried off...”

As Ali reached for Noah with the towel from behind, she saw a stream hit Ashlyn in the chin and neck. The keeper closed her mouth quickly and turned her head to the side with a grimace while the brunette tried not to laugh out loud. She reached behind her and grabbed one of the hand towels to block the pee but by the time she turned back around Noah was finished.

“Oh my God babe” Ali said, stifling another laugh, as she wrapped the towel around the baby and took him from the blonde. 

The keeper looked like she was in shock. She didn’t move right away, other than to pull the pee-soaked t-shirt over her head. She turned to look at her fiancée working the towel around Noah’s little body and couldn’t help but grin.

“I’m gonna remember that, kid.”

Ali giggled and winked at the blonde. “I’ll get him dressed, you get yourself cleaned up.” She started to walk back into Meg’s room and called over her shoulder. “Just leave the bathroom, I’ll get it after we feed him.”

But Noah apparently wasn’t hungry. Ali tried everything she could think of to get him to eat some of his dinner. She got out some of the snacks that Molly had packed for him and tried those but he wasn’t interested in anything. The only thing he swallowed was the milk from his sippy cup.

“Ok, we’re going to want to run a sterilize cycle in that washing machine after all those poopy clothes and crib sheets go through there” Ashlyn said as she walked into the kitchen, wrinkling her nose. “I don’t know if we can save that bunny either but I threw it in too. Jesus that was so disgusting. How could so much poop come out of one little body?”

“Yeah, that was bad. But I’m more concerned that he won’t eat his dinner” Ali added. “He hasn’t eaten a thing.”

“Nothing?” Ashlyn asked as she came over and tousled his short hair. “Let me try.”

Ashlyn got Noah to eat a little bit of his mac and cheese and a few grapes by putting on a dramatic show of an airplane landing in the hangar. It was almost 7pm and they were scheduled to put him to bed at 8pm but he still was supposed to play and then have a snack first. Before they could worry too much about that problem, Noah sat very still for a minute, ignoring both women. All of a sudden they heard an enormous, wet, farting sound. The smell hit them first and then Noah opened his mouth wide and wailed as if something had bitten him. 

“What the hell?” the keeper asked, alarmed and annoyed at another delay in the schedule.

“Get the tray” Ali instructed as she quickly leaned over to pick him up as soon as the blonde removed the tray that held him in place. “What’s the matter baby boy?” the brunette soothed as she held the screaming child against her chest and started walking him around the kitchen.

“Uh, Al?” Ashlyn gulped as she looked at the mess covering the highchair seat and followed it up into the brunette’s arms.

“What did he sit in?” Ali asked as the felt a substance on Noah’s back, outside his clothes. She turned and looked back at the high chair as Noah continued to cry. “Oh God.”

Noah had diarrhea all up his back. It had shot out of his diaper and up his back, outside of his shirt and now covered the high chair.

“Holy shit” Ashlyn said quietly, not intending it as a joke. “Ok, I think his belly is upset for sure.”

Ali was trying to stay calm even though she had shit all over both of her forearms from holding and comforting the upset baby boy.

“Can you please get another bath ready?” she asked, her voice wavering just a tiny bit. “If I put him down we’re just going to have to clean something else.” 

“Ok but I’ve gotta get a picture of this, hold on one second...”

“Ashlyn” the brunette said firmly, jaw set tight. “Please.”

“Smile princess” the keeper chuckled as she took a quick video of her fiancée’s predicament.

“What the hell?” Whitney mumbled as she walked into the kitchen Sunday morning and took in the scene in the family room.

Ashlyn was sprawled out on the floor, lying on her side, head propped up on a couch pillow. She was fast asleep with her hand across Noah’s chest. The little boy was also asleep, his head turned towards the keeper and pressed up against her chest, a fistful of long blonde hair in his tiny hand. There were toys strewn all around them as well as two sippy cups, a bottle of water and several small bags of different snack foods. Whitney took a picture and giggled quietly to herself.

“Hey” Ali said groggily as she and the puppies came down the back stairs into the kitchen a minute later.

“Shhhhhh” Whitney hushed as she pointed to the sleeping pair in the family room and moved into the mudroom to help Ali get the puppies outside quickly and quietly. “Tough night?” she asked once they were outside.

“Noah’s stomach was bothering him so he had a rough night” Ali answered with a yawn. We were taking shifts sleeping in Meg’s room with him to keep a closer eye on him and try and get him to sleep himself. She must have brought him downstairs to see if that would help.”

“Looks like it did” Whitney said with a giggle. “Don’t worry, I got a picture.”

By the time Niki and Molly got there that afternoon the boy was almost back to his normal sweet self. His schedule was completely screwed up but he had eaten a little bit of lunch and his whole snack. There had been no more poopy diapers since early that morning, thank goodness. They were having trouble keeping him in clean clothes and crib sheets.

“I’m so sorry he was so difficult” Molly said as she hugged her boy close to her chest.

“I’m sorry we totally screwed up his schedule” Ashlyn said with a shake of her head. “Poor little guy really wasn’t feeling good.”

“Are you kidding me?” Niki asked, her eyes wide. “You guys did awesome. Look at him. He’s alive and he’s even clean!” she put her arm around Ashlyn’s shoulders. “That’s a huge win in my book.”

“And how are you guys?” Molly asked with a knowing chuckle. “Nothing like a sick kid to test your relationship.”

Ali and Ashlyn looked at each other and smiled. 

“I think we’re both tired, but other than that I’m good” Ali answered and put her hand on Noah’s back.

“I’m good too. I’m kind of great if you consider the fact that I got one of the best videos in the whole world out of it” Ashlyn laughed and showed them the video of Ali holding a diarrhea-covered Noah.

They all laughed, even Noah, although he didn’t get the joke.

“You’re such a jerk” Ali said and swatted the blonde’s butt. “I’ll have you all know that I do not have a picture of Noah peeing in her face because I immediately tried to help her instead of making her kneel there covered in pee while I took time to laugh at her and take a picture.”

“No way!” Niki laughed out loud and squeezed Ashlyn’s arm with both of her hands. “You got it in the face?! He’s gotten me before, but never in the face.”

“For the record” Molly added, laughing, “he’s gotten me in the face before. And Ali, I don’t know how you didn’t kill her after she made you stand there like that.”

“Oh, she’ll pay” the brunette looked mischievously at her fiancée. “She’ll definitely pay.”

Later that evening Ali crawled up the couch between Ashlyn’s legs and plopped down on top of the keeper, head on her chest.

“Ugh, I’m so exhausted” the brunette mumbled as Ashlyn rubbed her back and brushed some hair off of her face.

“I know, I am too” the keeper sighed, loving the weight of her love on top of her. “You feel good. We’re never moving again.”

They were quiet for a few minutes and the blonde thought Ali had fallen asleep. Ashlyn breathed in her scent which had an extra dash of baby powder and maybe banana and smiled as she continued rubbing the brunette’s back.

“You were great this weekend” Ali eventually said as she squeezed the keeper.

“Thanks honey. So were you. We make a pretty good team, we always have.” Ashlyn wrapped her arms around Ali’s back and hugged her tightly. “It was really hard but he was sick. I just keep reminding myself of that. When I think about it and feel terrified I just tell myself that our kid won’t shit all over everything we own every single night of his babyhood. Right?”

“Right” Ali giggled. “It was hard and scary but we did it. And I feel like we did a good job too.”

Ashlyn pulled the brunette up higher so they were face to face. “Hi” she said with a cute little smile.

“Hi” Ali whispered back and blinked lovingly at her.

The keeper closed her eyes and tried to bring their lips together in a kiss but Ali pulled her head back. Ashlyn opened her eyes in confusion.

“I’m not kissing that pee-pee mouth” the brunette teased. 

“Aw come on, don’t remind me” Ashlyn whined. “I scrubbed my face raw, trust me.”

“I’m just messing with you babe.” Ali gave her a soft kiss and smiled against her lips. “I don’t think I’ve ever loved you more.”


	9. Home Opener

Breakers training camp started and the ladies were all eagerly anticipating what the team would look like on the pitch. Unfortunately, the team was a hot mess during training camp. Nobody could really explain what the problem was but it affected everybody. Ashlyn looked rusty. Tasha missed wide open shots. Kristie couldn’t complete a pass to save her life. The hot young rookies played like high schoolers. The only player who seemed to have her act together was Whitney. Not even the climate and scenery change that came when they went to Jacksonville, Florida for nine days could break the spell the team was under. They limped back home to Boston confused and frustrated by their lack of success or chemistry.

As the coach had told Whitney and Ashlyn at the beginning of camp, he named a different captain for each of the first three pre-season games. Julie King, Kristie Mewis and Tasha Dowie all took a turn with the armband. When the team got back to Boston for their final two weeks of camp and final two pre-season games he had every player vote for who the team captain should be for the 2017 season. He made the announcement before the first of those two games, and Whitney had retained her title. It wasn’t even close. The armband was hers again but the message the coach had sent was clear. Nobody was guaranteed anything. Not playing time, not starts, not armbands. He was looking for players who wanted to play and leave it all out on the pitch every single minute of each and every game. He told them bluntly that he hadn’t seen that yet and they had two games left to show him they deserved a spot on the roster. 

For the first time in three full weeks of intense training camp double sessions and workouts and drills, the team started to gel. It didn’t happen quickly or even gracefully, but it started to happen. They slowly started getting better every time they played a game. They completed more passes and possessed the ball better. They handled pressure better and, in turn, applied more pressure higher up the field and challenged for the ball better. They still had trouble putting the ball in the back of the net, but this time that didn’t worry the coach. He knew that if they were doing all of those other things well that the goals would come. By the time the twenty players who had made the final roster were introduced at the Meet and Greet event on April 13th, they were actually starting to feel like a team. It had been hard to cut the other five players that had been with them through training camp but that was how sports worked and everybody understood that. 

//

While Ashlyn had been focusing her attention on soccer for those four weeks, Ali was trying to figure out how to balance her sales job with her work for Knight-Harris. She felt like she was doing a crappy job at both places but wasn’t sure how to correct the problem. The brunette took a call from Sarah with a slightly uneasy feeling. She hadn’t heard back from the architect since they had talked back in November and Ali had assumed she didn’t want to be friends after all. She had been sad about it but, as Ashlyn had so simply expressed it that night over dinner, Ali was just going to have to get over the fact that not everybody on the planet wanted to be friends with her. It turned out that Sarah had called for strictly work reasons. She was designing a new project and wanted Ali’s help with it. They met at Sarah’s office in Boston and the brunette felt the heated stares from several of the architect’s co-workers as they walked to Sarah’s workspace. The office was one of those open concept spaces where everybody could pretty much see everything that everyone else was doing. The firm had obviously chosen it to help motivate and inspire their employees and colleagues. Ali hoped that everybody would see that Sarah was ok with her now and stop giving her the dagger eyes. At the very end of the meeting, as Ali reached out to gather up her paperwork from the desk, Sarah finally commented on her beautiful engagement ring.

“That’s a gorgeous ring” Sarah’s voice was quiet and hard to read. “Ashlyn I presume?” she asked with little emotion.

“Oh, yeah.” The brunette looked at the architect with apologetic eyes. “We got engaged in December.” As guilty as she still felt, Ali couldn’t contain her happiness about marrying the keeper. It shone from her eyes, right past the guilt and regret.

“Well congratulations Al.” Sarah smiled quickly, but warmly, and patted the brunette on the shoulder affectionately. “I’m happy for you both.”

They met again two weeks later to review Ali’s proposal and design suggestions. The atmosphere was considerably warmer and the brunette breathed a sigh of relief.

“Whew” she said as they sat together at Sarah’s desk, side by side. “People hate me less today. Yay” she gave a tiny cheer with imaginary pom-poms and a small but sincere smile.

Sarah laughed. “You felt that last time did ya?” she asked with a smirk as she opened the set of plans on the large work surface. “Yeah, I told everybody we were cool but I guess they just had to see for themselves before they believed me. Sorry about that.”

“Please don’t apologize. I’m glad they have your back” Ali answered honestly as she laid out her proposal so they could go through it line by line.

“Ok, so let’s see if what you put together will work” the architect said as she pulled the antique scale that Ali had given her for Christmas over to measure one of the openings she had drawn on the plans. Ali smiled when she saw it, happy Sarah had kept it and still used it.

An hour later they had finished their meeting. It had been productive and it looked like Ali’s products would work well with the design and within the budget. Both women were happy with the way the project and the meeting were going.

“Do you have time for a quick lunch?” Sarah asked as they packed things up. “No pressure” she laughed a little awkwardly.

“Sure, that sounds good” Ali answered after running through her schedule in her head. “But only if you let me buy.”

“Deal.”

Towards the end of the meal, which had been very friendly and surprisingly not awkward, Sarah started to squirm a little bit in her seat.

“What’s up Sarah?” Ali asked, noticing the architect’s anxiety level increase.

“Oh it’s nothing really” Sarah paused and took a sip of water. “I just, well, I wanted to apologize for not getting back to you after we talked at the ABX show. I’m sorry Ali.”

“You don’t have anything to apologize for. I told you I’d respect your decision Sarah and I meant it” Ali smiled warmly at her ex. “I’m just glad we can work together and go to lunch together without it being terrible or uncomfortable.” She had a horrible thought as she finished her sentence. “Unless you’re uncomfortable and I’m totally misreading the situation.” She looked at the architect quickly. “God, tell me I’m not that out of touch.”

Sarah laughed, her big laugh where she threw her head back, and Ali experienced a wave of déjà vu. She had a quick flashback of her lips on that very neck and she swallowed hard and blinked the image away. The brunette had absolutely no interest in Sarah in a romantic way anymore. She only had eyes for Ashlyn. The flashback surprised and unsettled her. It was almost like a muscle memory or something, triggered by that specific laugh and head toss. 

“No, you’re good. We’re good” the architect assured the brunette. “I was good back in November but I’m even better now” she explained, her voice sounding soft after her loud laugh from a minute ago. “I met someone.”

The relief that Ali had so desperately wanted for thirteen months finally washed over her. She couldn’t contain the big smile that covered her face and Sarah couldn’t help but notice it.

“I’m really happy for you Sarah.”

“Yeah you’re just happy because now you don’t have to feel so guilty anymore, right?” the architect challenged, with a friendly smile.

“Well, honestly, yeah that’s part of it” the brunette explained, holding Sarah’s gaze. “I can’t lie about that. But mostly I’m just happy that you seem to be really happy about it.”

The architect studied her face for a couple of minutes as she watched Ali pay the bill and finish the water in her glass. There she was being honest as ever. Sarah had never been a big fan of staying friends with her exes but, for the first time, she thought Ali might be different. Because the brunette was so open and honest the architect thought it might actually work for once.

“I could have said that better. I’m sorry Al.”

“Don’t be. You’re right. You know me pretty well” she grinned and put her wallet back inside her purse. “So who is she? Where did you meet?”

After one moment’s hesitation Sarah answered the questions and the two women talked for another half hour. Something was definitely different between them. Everything had shifted and Ali was convinced it was because of Sarah’s new girlfriend. It was like the architect knew the repair job on her heart had worked. It had held and her heart was still capable of feeling and loving again. She seemed lighter and, just happier than Ali could remember seeing her in a very long time. They made plans for Sarah and her new girlfriend to come to the Breakers home opener, a month away, and come out with the team afterwards. They both felt relieved and hopeful that they had a shot at some sort of friendship.

//

Nike had finally agreed to shoot a big commercial with Hilary and Ashlyn and everybody involved on the ladies’ end was ecstatic. Both agents were taking credit and congratulating themselves but both Hilary and Ashlyn knew the person responsible was Ali. It was her idea in the first place and she had arranged for Kyle to come and take the photographs that both athletes had been posting on social media for the past three months. And the brunette had the Knight-Harris website up and fully functional with all of the photographs, and several others of the two women separately, on display and easy to find. The Betty Sue ads that had aired during the month of December were also very effective. They had been the coffee company’s most popular ads yet.

Nike wanted to do an ad where Hilary and Ashlyn visit several historic and iconic sports sites in Boston, paying their respects in their own charming way. They wanted to include footage of this year’s Boston Marathon as well with the women somehow honoring the bombing victims at the finish line. They wanted to film Sunday, Monday and Tuesday with Wednesday as an alternate day in case of bad weather for some of the outdoor shots they had scheduled. Ashlyn’s home opener was that Sunday 4-16 at 5pm which wasn’t ideal but Nike knew Ashlyn wouldn’t miss a game. Hilary’s schedule was a little bit easier because the Pride would be finishing their season on Saturday 4-15. The keeper was secretly disappointed because she had been planning on volunteering with Ali and her friends at the marathon for the first time ever. Her Breakers schedule had never worked out before this year and now the biggest commercial of her life was messing up her plans with the woman she loved. Ashlyn knew the brunette would understand but she herself was disheartened by it nonetheless. ‘Next year baby’ she thought to herself for the third year in a row.

//

Marathon / Easter / Kickoff weekend was a whirlwind of activities for both Ali and Ashlyn. Deb had planned to come up for the week right after the marathon to visit, meet her grand-puppies and go with Ali, Kyle and Sydney to Ali’s dress fitting appointment the day after the marathon. The brunette had talked her mom into coming up early and spending Easter weekend with them too, just like Kyle and Nico were doing. It was a little Krieger family vacation weekend and they were all excited for it. Deb flew in Friday afternoon and Kyle and Nico took the train up Saturday afternoon. Once Whitney and Ashlyn got home from training and got cleaned up and had a little snack to hold them over, they all went in to the last game of the Pride’s season. Ali drove her truck with her mom so they could stop on the way and pick up Sydney and Dom, while Ashlyn drove her Suburu with Whitney, Kyle and Nico.

Nike had decided to come and get some shots of Hilary’s game since they were in town getting ready for the first day of shooting, the next day. The producer came over and did an impromptu interview with Ashlyn and ‘her friends and family’ between periods, surprising them all. The keeper wasn’t sure how out Nico was or if he wanted to be a part of whatever this footage would be used for so she decided to just introduce the lot of them as her family and friends and hope that was ok with everybody. Kristie Mewis and Tasha Dowie, roommates again this season, had spearheaded a group of Breakers players and coaches and were seated close by. It was a great game and they all had a lot of fun. Nike hung around and got some footage of Hilary and the other players greeting Ashlyn, her group and the Breakers contingent as well. 

When they got back to the big old house it was still pretty early, just after 8pm, but Ali had warned everybody not to expect anything too fun because Whitney and Ashlyn both had to get a good night’s sleep before their home opener the next evening. And Ashlyn had to spend the whole day before the game doing the first day of the Nike photo shoot so she was going to miss Easter brunch too.

“Can we watch a movie or something?” Ashlyn asked as they all stood in the mudroom taking shoes and coats off.

“Ooh!” Nico perked up, “let’s watch another Hitchcock film!” He ran into the living room and looked for the boxed set without even waiting for an answer.

The keeper looked at Ali with her best puppy dog eyes.

“Ash, we can do whatever you want. I just want to make sure you get the rest you need for tomorrow. I’m already worried about you spending all day on your feet at the shoot. There’s no way you’re not getting your sleep tonight too.”

“I’m just really wired right now. There’s no way I’ll fall asleep anytime soon. The movie will help take my mind off of everything” Ashlyn explained as she wrapped her girl up in a hug, stepping towards the washer and drier to get out of the way.

“I’m out guys. I told Ryan we could skype tonight so he can give me his pep talk for tomorrow” Whitney chuckled. “Good luck tomorrow Ash if I don’t see you in the morning.”

Deb and Kyle joined them in the living room a few minutes later, freshly walked puppies at their heels, and they all sat down to watch ‘Frenzy’. Nico and Kyle cuddled up on one half of the big ‘L’ shaped couch while Ashlyn took the corner bend and stretched her feet out onto Ali’s lap on the other side of the couch. Deb went to sit in the recliner but Ali made her come sit next to her instead, happy to have her mom on one side and her fiancée on the other. Deb had Freddie in her lap and Persey was curled up on the couch between Ashlyn and Kyle. They ate popcorn and drank some wine as they watched the tense thriller.

“That was really different from his other movies” Ashlyn said as the closing credits rolled two hours later. “I liked it, it was a great suspenseful serial killer movie, but it didn’t feel very much like Hitchcock to me.”

“People say it was him revisiting the themes from ‘Psycho’ but instead of 1960 it was 1972” Nico commented, sitting up and putting his empty wine glass on the coffee table. “If they hadn’t caught Norman Bates then this is who he might have become. Bob Rusk.”

“Hmmm, I never thought about it like that” the keeper contemplated as she ate the last few pieces of popcorn in the bowl on Ali’s lap. “Norman grows up to be the ‘necktie murderer’.” She paused, thinking. “Everything seemed so modern though.”

“Well we skipped around timewise with these movies...” Ali started but the blonde interrupted her.

“That’s why you asked me way back then if it mattered to me that we went in order or not” Ashlyn said, nodding her head. “Gotcha.”

“It feels weird to watch ‘Rebecca’ which was black and white and made in 1940, and then watch ‘The Paradine Case’ from 1947 and then jump all the way up to ‘Frenzy’ from 1972. That’s a 25 year jump right there” the brunette explained, using the back of the box set to help her with the dates of the movies.

“What creeped me out is the way he made you sort of root for the bad guy” Deb added, making a distasteful face. “He tells us right away who the serial killer is and then gets us to almost like him.”

“I can’t believe he finally showed some nudity” Kyle quipped, making everybody laugh.

“Of course that’s what you got out of it, hon” Nico teased and kissed Kyle.

“But that’s because it was 1972 and the rules were different, right?” Ashlyn asked.

“Exactly” Ali answered and squeezed the blonde’s thigh next to her. “He changed with the times, just like everybody else.”

“Ok, I’m going to bed” Deb announced as she stood up and grabbed the two big, empty popcorn bowls. “Goodnight kids.”

“Night mom” Ali stood up and hugged her mother, taking the bowls from her. “I got these. Have a good sleep.”

“We’re going to watch another movie I think” Kyle said, breaking from the kisses Nico had been giving him for the past several minutes.

“Listen, don’t forget Whitney’s across the hall from you and trying to get her sleep for tomorrow” Ashlyn levelled them both with a hard stare. “Behave yourselves tonight. I mean it.” She looked from one man to the other. “After tonight it doesn’t matter so much, but we’ve got a big game tomorrow.”

“Ok, maybe we’ll just stay down here tonight” Kyle giggled.

“Kyle” Ali said seriously, delivering the Krieger glare she had learned so well from their father. “Her room is right above this room. Just keep it in your pants for one night. Honestly” she rolled her eyes and turned to walk out of the room.

“Oh please, like you’re going to?” Kyle zinged her back with lots of attitude.

Ashlyn sighed heavily when she saw Ali’s spine straighten and stiffen in response to Kyle’s challenge. The keeper stood up, grabbing empty glasses, and spoke with an exasperated tone. “Well we are now. Thanks a lot Kyle.”

//

“I wish I could stay with you for the shoot babe. I’d really love to be here to watch you and support you. Make sure you don’t stand up all day. Get off your feet whenever you can Ash.” 

“Well any decent agent would have changed her schedule around...” Ashlyn teased, knowing it was ok because they had talked about it last night in bed before they fell asleep.

“Ashlyn” Ali mumbled softly and lowered her eyes, still sorry she couldn’t be there for her keeper.

“I’m just kidding sweetheart, you know I am” the blonde reassured with a kiss, leaning across the console of the truck. “Greg’s here and he’s still technically my agent so it’s all good. I don’t need a babysitter anyway.”

Ali held her keeper close again, frustrated by the stupid console in the way. 

“I know, but if I hadn’t made all of these plans already there’s no place else I’d be but right here with you today.” The brunette cupped Ashlyn’s cheek with one hand and gave her a tender kiss. “You call me anytime you want to talk and I’ll pick right up, ok?” They kissed again, this time letting their lips linger for a few extra seconds as they sat outside the Breakers facility. “I’m so proud of you babe. You’re amazing and you’re going to kick ass today. All damn day. I love you so much.”

“I love you too honey” Ashlyn kissed her one last time before pulling her lips away. “Tell everyone happy Easter for me.”

//

The shoot had messed up their plans each day of the long weekend and both women were extremely frustrated about it. It was a dream come true opportunity so there was nothing to be done and their family and friends would just have to understand. Which they did. Originally they wanted to host an Easter brunch at the big old house and have Ken, Vicki and the boys over, as well as the Scott Krieger clan. But once they found out about the shoot schedule they had to adjust. Ken and Vicki couldn’t have been more accommodating. They were both going to Ashlyn’s game that evening so they suggested doing a later brunch in the city. But that wouldn’t work with the puppies because it would be too long to leave them alone. So Ken and Vicki hosted Easter brunch. Deb and Ken had remained friends after the divorce and they were both comfortable being around the other’s new family. That said, Deb still felt bad crashing the Krieger Easter celebration. Both Ali and Kyle stuck close to her, without even having to say a word about it. And Ali had insisted that Whitney join them too. The defender had tried to bow out but Ali knew she didn’t have any other plans.

“Seriously Whit” Ali closed the defender’s bedroom door behind her after she got home from driving Ashlyn to the shoot early that morning. “If you don’t want to come that’s ok, I won’t be offended, I swear” she said, trying to read the stoic blonde’s face. “But it’s totally casual and the food will be good and it’s Easter.”

“It’s ok, I’ll just stay here with the puppies and do puppy Easter” Whitney chuckled.

“Ok, if that’s really what you want to do I won’t bug you anymore. But I know Ashlyn will feel bad that you didn’t go just because she couldn’t be there for it.” The brunette knew that Whitney would have joined them without hesitation if Ashlyn had been with them. “We’re leaving at 10:30 if you’d like to come” Ali said as she opened the door to leave. “And we’ll be back by 1:30 so you’ll have plenty of time to get to the facility by 3pm.” 

When they first got to Ken’s house little Allie thought Whitney was Ashlyn because of her long blonde hair. Nobody could figure out what the little girl was doing as she held Whitney’s hand and twisted her arm inside and out.

“Oh, I don’t have a tattoo like her” Whitney finally realized what the 6 year old was looking for. “See? Just a regular old boring arm for me.”

Little Allie giggled and pulled the defender into the kitchen to show her mother her new friend.

Both of Koty and Tanner’s girlfriends were at brunch and Ali was sure it was because they had heard that Nico was going to be there. Kyle rolled his eyes when she asked him about it.

“I know, I’m just going to have to get used to ‘semi-famous Nico’ for the rest of the damned weekend I guess” Kyle sighed dejectedly.

“No, he’ll be normal with us tomorrow at the marathon, right?” Ali asked as she gave her brother a quick hug. “And maybe nobody will recognize him at the game this evening either” she said hopefully.

“What are we whispering about?” Deb asked them, in a whisper.

“We’re trying to figure out which Nico we get tonight” Ali answered with a frown.

“Oh” Deb raised her eyebrows. “Am I finally going to get to see ‘semi-fabulous Nico’?” she asked, innocently messing up Kyle’s name for him and making both her children howl with laughter.

“Oh my God mom, that’s even better” Kyle laughed. “That’s the new name from now on. I love it.”

//

The stadium was packed. The new grass field was beautiful, well, as beautiful as it could be for April 16th in New England. There hadn’t been snow on it for three weeks so that was a huge plus right there. Truthfully, the sod was a little loose because the ground was still so damned cold. But the grounds crew had done a great job getting it ready to play on. Ali had gotten everybody situated in their pitchside seats and then gone back to the locker room entrance to see Ashlyn. She stepped through the door from the sunlight into the dark hallway that led to the two different locker rooms and squinted. She could hear Ashlyn’s voice close by and smiled reflexively. She hoped there was never a day when that voice didn’t make her heart beat faster.

“Hey! You’re here” the keeper said when she saw Ali standing just inside the door waiting for her eyes to adjust. “Come say hi to Jules.”

Ali had met Julian several times since their first meeting at the charity golf event last summer. He was always polite and kind and charming. He really did remind her, personality-wise anyway, of Ashlyn. He had come to the big old house one afternoon while Ali was on the road so Ashlyn could take him to her skateboard guy in Rockport. They had raided the fridge afterwards and Julian had fallen in love with Ali’s mostaccioli baked pasta dish. The brunette suddenly felt self-conscious in her jeans, boots, turtleneck and Breakers jersey. It was cold out so warm boots and winter jackets were a must. 

“Hi babe” Ali said as she kissed Ashlyn’s lips and hugged her. “Hey Julian” she said as she turned to give the Patriot a friendly hug. “It’s good to see you. It’s really great that you’re here today.” She felt very strongly about that point. “Seriously, thank you for doing this for Ash and all the players.”

“It’s my pleasure” he replied with a warm smile. “I’m just glad the schedules worked out. That’s always the trick.”

They chatted for another minute before Julian grinned from ear to ear as someone else walked into the darkness through the door.

“There he is” Julian said and waved. “Over here brother.”

Ali turned sideways to make room for the newcomer and almost fell over when she looked up, way up, to see Tom Brady striding towards them.

“Hey Jules” Tom said as the two Patriot players hugged hello.

“This is Ashlyn Harris” Julian said, directing Tom’s attention to the keeper.

“Hi, I’m Tom,” he said, shaking her hand, “it’s nice to finally meet you.”

Ashlyn somehow found her voice and greeted the superstar, then introduced him to Ali. Tom told them that Julian had been raving about the skateboard guy Ashlyn had recommended up in Rockport and that he wanted to get up there and get a couple boards for his sons.

“Don’t forget your daughter now” Ashlyn chided him with a wink.

“No no, I won’t” he chuckled. “She’s probably the best athlete of the bunch but my wife thinks she’s still too young. But I’m working on her” he laughed as Julian elbowed him in the ribs.

Before any more small talk could happen it was time for Ashlyn to go back into the locker room. The teams would be heading to the pitch for warm-ups in a few minutes.

“Listen guys, I can’t thank you enough for doing this. On Easter Sunday no less! The league is growing but this kind of exposure makes all the difference in the world. And these fans are incredible. They’re small in number but huge in spirit and volume. You’ll see.” She hugged Julian and shook Tom’s hand again and then gave Ali a kiss and was gone.

“So is this the Ali that makes that pasta you keep talking about?” Tom asked the wide receiver.

“Yep, best food I’ve ever eaten in my life” Julian complimented and smiled at the brunette who blushed.

“Geez, if I’d known it was that popular I would have made you some to take home guys” Ali replied with a smile and a wink. 

“Don’t tease me now” Julian grinned at her and rubbed his stomach.

They talked for a few more minutes and then the players came out of the locker rooms to make the five minute walk over to the pitch. The Breakers were playing the Seattle Reign. Tom and Julian stood by the door and high-fived everybody that wanted a high-five on their way out and the soccer players from both teams loved it. Julian told Megan Rapinoe to keep her head up and Hope Solo that he was glad she was back, surprising Tom with his knowledge of the two USWNT players.

45 minutes later Ali was walking towards the pitch with Tom Brady and Julian Edelman, showing them the way because there were a dozen fields in the outdoor sporting complex and it could get confusing if you didn’t know where you were going. They had chatted the whole time. When Tom found out what Ali did for a living he quickly told her that both he and Bob Kraft had used her windows in their homes. Ali, of course, knew all about it because it was big news within the company when one of them sold windows to somebody famous, but she pretended to be surprised so she didn’t look like such a creeper. Tom asked her what the trick was to getting his window screens in and out easier and she gave him her best advice. He was thrilled to be able to go home and impress his wife with his new knowledge. Ali gave him one of her business cards and told him to call or text her anytime if he ever had any other questions on his windows or doors. He took it and put it right into his wallet.

She led them up to the entrance gate, the side one that the players used, and was stunned to see several security guards standing with Bob Kraft, Devin McCourty - one of the best defensive players on the team, and the Lombardi trophy that the Patriots had just won in Super Bowl 51 that February. Bob saw his two other players and smiled widely. Julian started to introduce Ali to him but Bob recognized her and shook her hand telling her it was nice to see her again. Ali thought her head was going to explode. You can’t grow up in New England and be a lifelong Patriots fan and have Bob Kraft recognize you while you’re standing between Tom fucking Brady and Julian Edelman and not get a little dizzy. She stood with them for another minute and then Elaine from the Breakers sales and marketing department came over to usher them onto the field. Ali told them all she’d see them pitchside and started to walk towards the gate to the field to get to her seats when Tom tugged her arm to stop her.

“Can I have another card to give to Bob? He has trouble with his screens sometimes too” he asked sheepishly. 

Ali handed him another card and told him, again, to call anytime. As she walked through the gate and towards her seats her head was swimming. She looked up and saw her family and friends staring at her with their mouths agape. Even her dad looked shocked and he was unflappable. They had all seen her standing there, like a boss, talking with the Patriots owner and players. As the brunette moved past different family and friends to get to her seat between her mom and Sydney, she spotted Sarah and her new girlfriend on the other side of Dom. She had almost forgotten they were coming, distracted and starstruck by her pre-game shoulder-rubbing with the rich and famous. 

Before the brunette could actually sit in her seat, Elaine hustled up behind her and whispered in her ear. Ali’s block of pitchside seats, she had bought ten for that game, were next to the four seats the Patriots players and owner were going to be sitting in. Elaine wanted to make sure that Ali was sitting next to Tom Brady so she could help run interference if any fans got overzealous. There would be security behind them, between the pitchside seats and the stands, so there wasn’t anything really to worry about but Elaine just wanted everything to be perfect for their famous guests.

“Remember, you’ll probably be on camera a lot so tell your group...” 

“Got it, I’ll tell them all to behave” Ali said, cutting her off. “Hey, did you think you and I would be having this conversation back when we first met at the meet and greet two years ago?” the brunette asked with a grin.

“No” Elaine laughed out loud and squeezed Ali’s arm. “What a difference two years makes eh?”

//

The game had been a good one, one of the best Ali had ever seen. Being a defender at heart and having her fiancée in goal meant Ali rarely enjoyed a high-scoring game. But she was very happy that the final score was 4-3 Breakers. She knew Ashlyn would be unhappy about letting three balls past her but Megan Rapinoe looked like her old self again after taking a long time recovering from her torn ACL in 2016. She was on fire that night and she combined beautifully with the Reign’s newly acquired midfielder, Christine Nairn, on both of her goals. Ali didn’t really think any keeper could have stopped them. Ashlyn had made several amazing and athletic saves, particularly at the beginning of the game. The Breaker backline had been ok. Not great or the Reign wouldn’t have scored three goals. But they knew the communication would get better. They had two new players back there and they were still getting used to each other. And it was hard to tell if the Breakers offense was good or the Reign defense was bad. Tasha Dowie, Kristie Mewis, rookie Morgan Andrews and Whitney Engen all scored for Boston. Whitney’s was another header off of a corner kick. And rookie #1 draft pick Rose Lavelle had three assists. It was a wonderful game for new fans to watch and everybody who worked for the Breakers was relieved they hadn’t laid an egg in front of their famous guests and sold out crowd.

Before the game had started Ali had gone down the row of her nine co-attendees and warned them about the extra cameras because of their famous neighbors. Then she had to tell Sarah and her girlfriend that they needed to move down two seats so Ali and her mom could sit where Elaine wanted them. Deb wouldn’t get to see many games and Ali was definitely going to sit next to her for this one. So, much to Ali’s chagrin, Deb sat next to Sarah and Sydney switched with Dom so she was sitting next to the new girlfriend. Ali looked at Sarah with a weak smile and was relieved when the architect smiled back and chuckled. Ali had wanted the new girlfriend to sit next to Deb so she didn’t have to worry about what her mother might say to Sarah once she realized who she was.

“Mom” Ali whispered in her mother’s ear as they all settled into their seats to watch the Patriots and the big Lombardi trophy get introduced and celebrated on the field. “Yes, that’s Sarah. The woman I dated before Ashlyn. And that’s her new girlfriend. Pleeeeaaase, just don’t talk about our relationship ok? It’s the first time we’ve tried to hang out as friends and I don’t want it to be any more awkward than it already is. Thank you. I love you.”

Deb sat back with an unreadable look on her face as she took in all the information. The serious look on her daughter’s face really drove home how important her request was. The older woman thought for a minute about how nervous her daughter must be. Ali was worried about Ashlyn playing well and about sitting next to Tom Brady and about having her ex there and meeting her new girlfriend for the first time. She was probably worried about three other things that Deb didn’t even have a clue about too.

“Ok Alex. Don’t worry.” Deb put her hand on Ali’s leg and patted it twice. “Just try and relax and be your beautiful self, honey. It’s just another soccer game.” 

At halftime the Patriots contingent went onto the field to participate in the challenge where you try to kick a soccer ball as close as possible to the midfield line. Julian was sure his ball would be the winner, it looked like it was only a foot away. But Devin McCourty, the last one to kick, got his ball to stop right on top of the line. The crowd roared. The Patriots made even these silly games exciting. The Nike folks had come to get some additional footage as well. Ali had to explain to Tom Brady what the Nike film crew was doing there. Hilary Knight and a group of Pride players were up in the stands behind one of the goals causing quite a ruckus during the game. They were loud and passionate and funny and the fans loved them. The PA announcer pointed them out to the crowd and told everybody they should go catch some Pride games next season and thanked the team for supporting the NWSL and the Breakers.

Deb had gone to the concession stand with Kyle and Ali took advantage of the slightly more private moment and slid into her mom’s vacated seat.

“I’m so sorry about how crazy this game is” the brunette said to Sarah and her girlfriend, Erin. They had been quickly introduced right after the seat swapping before the game. “You have to promise to come back to another one that isn’t such a zoo. I had no idea this was going to be such a big night when we made these plans” Ali apologized, shaking her head in disbelief.

“It’s ok” Sarah said with an easy smile, clearly enjoying all the extra excitement around them. “How the hell are you sitting next to Tom Brady and not freaking out?!” she whisper yelled with wide eyes. 

“Well, the fact that there’s probably some camera on him, and therefore me, the whole time really helps me stay frozen I think” she chuckled and rolled her eyes. “He’s been super nice so it’s been pretty easy. I still can’t believe it though.”

“Your mom is really sweet” Sarah offered after a quiet moment. “And Kyle is exactly as you described” she laughed. “Erin remembers him from that show he did with Bear Grylls...”

“’Get Out Alive’” Erin chimed in enthusiastically. “I loved that show and your brother was awesome.”

“He was really good on that” Ali agreed with a grin. “I was so proud of him. Have you had a chance to talk to him about it yet?”

Right on cue, Kyle and Deb returned with beers and waters and snacks. They temporarily switched seats so Kyle could talk to Erin and Sarah about his time on the reality show he had done four years earlier. Ali went down to check on Nico and Ken and Vicki at the other end of their seats. Ken still had the proud papa look on his face and Ali hugged him from behind his chair.

“Enjoying the game?” she asked.

“Very much. I wasn’t sure how Seattle was going to handle losing both Winters and Little in the midfield but Nairn and Matheson have really played great so far.”

“Are the boys behaving?” she asked, quirking her eyebrow. “Do I need to talk to Kyle?”

“They’re fine” Vicki chuckled and patted her husband on his arm as he frowned. “Teenage girls keep coming up to Nico and giggling and then running away” she explained. “One of the security guards finally shifted down a little bit to discourage them so hopefully it won’t be a distraction to anybody else.”

Ali pulled Nico over to the side, near the security guard and chatted with him for a few minutes. As the players came back on to the field to get ready to start the second half, the Patriots group walked back towards their seats. As they starting filing past the back of the other pitchside seats Ali caught Julian’s eye and he stopped to say hi. The brunette introduced Nico to Julian and she was surprised when the wide receiver grabbed Tom Brady’s arm and pulled him over for an introduction too. Ali stepped to the side a little bit so the cameras of the official photographers, who were there to cover the game and couldn’t believe their luck, could get a clear shot of the three handsome men. As they all moved back to their seats a minute later Nico winked at Ali and grinned.

They didn’t stay out late after the game. Everybody, but not the Patriot group, went to a bar to celebrate with the team and have some fun but the Krieger-Harris party only stayed out for about an hour. Ashlyn was exhausted from her incredibly long day and a tough game as a night cap really had her burnt out. She could barely keep her eyes open during the ride home. Ali, Sydney, Deb, Kyle and Nico were all volunteering at the crack of dawn at their spot near the starting line for the marathon so they needed to have an early night. Whitney stayed to celebrate properly with her young teammates and ended up crashing with Kristie and Tasha. Sarah and Erin stayed as well and that made Ali happy. Whitney and Sarah had always gotten along well so the brunette knew that they would be welcome even after Ashlyn and their group left.

Back at the house Ashlyn took another hot shower to help ease some of the kinks and knocks she had taken during the game. Ali waited patiently for her in bed, trying to decide what she wanted more – to hear all about the commercial shoot or to have sex with her gorgeous keeper. When the blonde came out of the bathroom to get some pajamas she was pleased to see her fiancée waiting for her, completely naked and stretched out on their bed with a smirk on her face.

“Well, well, what do we have here?” the keeper flirted as she finished drying her hair with the towel. “Goddamn you’re beautiful Ali.”

“You won’t be needing any of those tonight babe” Ali purred as Ashlyn opened the dresser drawer. “Just get your sexy self over here” she patted the bed, pinched one of her own nipples and sucked in a breath seductively.

Ashlyn climbed onto the bed and crawled right up her fiancée’s gorgeous body, hovering above her and kissing her passionately. Ali ran her hands all over the blonde’s torso, loving the way her soft skin felt underneath her fingertips. The keeper flinched when the brunette’s hands moved over her right side. Ali pulled back from the kiss and looked questioningly up at her girl.

“What is it honey?”

“My ribs” she groaned out as she lay down on her left side and faced Ali. “I’ll be alright though. Just don’t touch that side...”

The brunette knelt next to Ashlyn and placed gentle kisses all over her sore ribs and entire right side. She felt the blonde relax and heard a couple of small sighs escape her lips.

“That feels so nice Al” the keeper exhaled as she closed her eyes and tried to will the pain and exhaustion away. “You’re so sexy baby” she mumbled as she stroked Ali’s ass.

The brunette could hear the exhaustion in Ashlyn’s voice but never thought anything would get in the way of them having at least a quickie that night. She had seen her keeper’s eyes darken the minute they caught sight of her bare skin on the bed. Ali loved that she had that effect on the blonde. It was exhilarating and a complete turn on. As she finished kissing the hurt away from sore ribs and aching muscles, Ali turned her attention to the keeper’s face. She sat back on her heels and sighed. Ashlyn was out like a light. She must have had an incredibly tough day at the shoot. She certainly hadn’t played her best game, but it had been good enough to get the win. There weren’t many people who would have been able to tell but Ali was one of them. She leaned forward and kissed her cheek lightly before lying down and pulling the covers up and over both of them. She got into a little spoon position and pulled Ashlyn’s right arm across her chest and held it near her chin, hoping that the blonde would move over and spoon her from behind in her sleep. She had to wait a couple of minutes, but the keeper scooted closer and wrapped her body around Ali’s. All of the bare skin made the brunette moan softly but she got control of her libido and put the lid back on the box, as it were. There was a first time for everything and that was the first time Ashlyn had ever left Ali high and dry. It didn’t feel great, that was for sure. But the brunette took comfort in the fact that they shouldn’t have even tried to have sex in the first place. Ali was exhausted and she hadn’t just played a highly competitive and physically demanding soccer game. It still felt like rejection, but the brunette knew it wasn’t really. 

“I love you Ashlyn” she whispered, enjoying her fiancée’s steady breathing and freshly showered scent. How was her skin so fucking soft? Why did being wrapped up in her arms feel so wonderful? Before she knew it, Ali was fast asleep too.


	10. Marathon Magic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one went up so late tonight. I watched the game and was ticked off for a while.  
> 96\. 96. She had better get to 100 or I will lose my mind.

Monday was another busy day for the happy couple. Ali and the volunteer gang left the house, as quietly as possible, at 5am so they could make the drive out to Hopkinton where the starting line was for the Boston Marathon. Ali kissed her keeper’s cheek softly before she left the bedroom.

“I love you sweetheart” she whispered and kissed her again.

Ashlyn stirred and sleepily reached up with both arms to pull the brunette down with her, eyes still closed. As she did, the covers fell away exposing her bare chest, still naked from last night’s failed sexcapades. Ali felt a pull in her loins as she watched the beautiful pink nipples harden in the chilly early morning air. It was going to be a long, frustrating day. She hated when they didn’t get a chance to connect. It left her feeling out of sorts and antsy. Maybe they could talk on the phone before the blonde had to go to day two of the Nike shoot.

“Go back to sleep love. It’s early” she whispered as she pulled the covers up to the keeper’s chin. She cupped Ashlyn’s face and softly rubbed her thumb across her cheekbone. “I love you Ashlyn.”

//

Ali forgot every year just how bad the cell coverage was in Hopkinton. One year she had completely killed her battery trying to post a picture of her volunteer group before the race had even started. She had learned to keep it to the basics. Phone and text service only while they were volunteering at their favorite spot on the first small hill of the course. It was the spot right in front of the house blaring the theme from ‘Rocky’ and a small group of spectators cheering wildly for the runners. Even the basic cell service was spotty because of the extremely high usage. Every runner sent out a few communications before they gave their phone to their person for safe-keeping while they ran their hearts out on the course.

The brunette was frustrated that she hadn’t been able to talk to Ashlyn yet. It was just after 9am and the first wave of runners, the ones that were impaired and required help, had just gone by their volunteer spot. It was cold and raw, but, thankfully, not raining. She put her phone back in her official Boston Marathon volunteer jacket pocket and put her gloves back on. She wasn’t going to let it ruin her day. All of her friends were there with her, Sydney, Heather, Carm, Jessie, Liz and Erica. And this year was special because Deb, Kyle and Nico were there too. And the brunette was feeling very emotional about Sydney’s unborn baby being with them that morning as well. Ali looked around at so many faces that she loved, all beaming at the next wave of runners, the wheelchair athletes, as they approached the bottom of the hill.

“Woooo!” she yelled as loud as she could. “You got this! Way to go Sandra, you can do it!” 

Ali loved it when the runners wrote their names on their bibs or on their bodies. The look on their faces when they heard you cheer them on by name was incredible to see. The brunette cried off and on all day long. She just couldn’t help it. Seeing these everyday people, these strangers, achieving an amazing goal always stirred her soul. By the time the fourth and final wave of runners had climbed up that first small hill, many of them pumping their fists and grinning when they heard the ‘Rocky’ theme song blasting over them, it was just after 11:30am and the sun had finally come out. It was still cold, but the warmth from the sun made everything else bearable. Their throats were sore from yelling for 2-1/2 hours straight, and their arms and hands were tired from clapping along. They spread out, as they did after each wave of runners, and collected any discarded clothing that the athletes had shed. They also picked up any trash the runners had dropped. It wasn’t part of their assignment but it just seemed silly not to do it. At 12pm the elite men and women were just finishing the race or just about to finish the race. The group of volunteers made the mile-long walk back to the starting line, carrying their plastic bags full of clothes and trash with full hearts and hungry bellies.

//

Ashlyn had started her day with an ice bath as she tried to get her legs working again. They were stiff and sore and stubborn that Monday morning. She was alone in the house except for Mrs. Riley whom she could hear down in the kitchen. The keeper had brought the puppies upstairs with her after feeding them and taking them for a quick walk. They played together on the bathroom floor while the blonde shivered in the tub, tossing a toy for them if they brought it back to her. It was a sweet fifteen minutes and the puppy love did a lot to recharge the worn out keeper. The only thing better was the note Ali had left for her, folded discreetly, on the mudroom desk.

‘Ash,  
Sorry we didn’t get a chance to catch up. I hope you’re feeling good today. You’re going to do great!  
Call me if you can. I’d love to hear your beautiful voice. I miss you.  
See you this afternoon, hopefully. Text me where you’ll be and I’ll come find you. My fancy Nike model/actress.   
I love you.  
-Ali’

//

It was 3pm by the time they finished their late lunch in Boston, near the finish line. Most of the runners had finished or would soon be finishing. To qualify for the marathon you had to be able to run a 3-1/2 hour marathon so even if you were in the final starting group the real runners were done by 3pm. The runners who were still on the course were the volunteer fundraisers who had joined a team to raise money for a charity. It was in one of these groups that Ali’s friend Heather had run two years ago. These runners took four or five hours to finish, sometimes even longer. There were always some stragglers still on the course as it got dark around 7:30pm. Those were the runners Ali really admired. The race had obviously challenged them in ways they hadn’t expected. Maybe they had an injury they had to work through all damn day just to cross the finish line. Maybe they were just having the worst race of their entire life. She thought those stragglers who crossed the finish line in the dark, often with a police escort so they didn’t get hit by a car, were the most inspiring of all. 

The volunteer group split up and went their separate ways. Liz took Ali’s truck and drove Sydney and Deb to the coach’s house in Stoneham, with Erica following in her car. Deb took the truck from there up to the big old house to let the puppies out and relax. Ali was going to drive them and then go back into Boston to try and meet up with Ashlyn wherever she was shooting but Deb offered to take care of the puppies. She told her daughter honestly that she was looking forward to playing with them and getting off of her feet for a few hours. 

“Some of us aren’t that young anymore” she had quipped with a groan as she said goodbye to Ali outside the restaurant.

“Yeah, and some of us are pregnant and allowed to bail early whenever we want” Sydney added with a chuckle and a groan of her own.

When they got to Boston after leaving Hopkinton, Ali’s phone lit up with several texts from her keeper. She assumed that none of hers had been sent until that moment either and sighed in frustration. Ali, Kyle and Nico spent over an hour trying to find the Nike shoot. Ashlyn said it was a few blocks away from the finish line and gave them the corner but there was no real address because they were set up in a tent on one of the blocked off streets. When they finally saw the tent the blonde had described they were all relieved. It was just such a busy and crowded place it was hard to find anything.

They approached the tent and were stopped by a police officer who was in charge of keeping the blocked off street clear. They wanted everybody walking by to use the sidewalks. Security was always tight near the finish line, but after the bombings in 2013 it was like Fort Knox. Nobody complained though. Everybody remembered and understood. Kyle explained where they were going and the cop turned around and called out to one of the production assistants on the shoot. The young man jogged over, bundled up against the cold and carrying a clipboard. He looked at his clipboard after Kyle gave him their names and nodded his head without looking up. Ali paid attention because next time she wouldn’t have Kyle or Nico with her. They both had plenty of experience being on sets and photo shoots. Nico was in front of the cameras and Kyle worked behind on hair or taking photographs. If she was going to be an agent and represent Ashlyn she had to be able to look like she belonged in these types of environments. 

“Hey! You made it!” Ashlyn greeted them with excitement when they walked into the tent. 

The blonde had a big puffy Nike winter coat on, even though the tent was 20 degrees warmer than the 45 degree weather outside the tent. They had just come back in from getting some more shots at the Finish Line, Ashlyn explained as she hugged her visitors. Hilary sat in her own puffy coat and waved at them from the other side of the 20 foot x 30 foot tent. Her friend and teammate Brittany Ott, the Pride goalie, sat next to her, keeping her company. There were two portable heaters, one at each end of the tent, and several folding chairs set up around them. There was a table with coffee and bottles of juice, soda and water. There was another table with platters of sandwiches, fruit, cookies, donuts, cheese & crackers and about four different kinds of chocolate.

“Ah, craft services” Nico smiled and helped himself to a donut and a cup of coffee.

Ashlyn introduced them to the producer and the director and the camera and sound guys. Most of them had met either at the Pride game Friday night or at the Breakers game last night. Everyone was friendly but busy on phones and looking into digital cameras and laptops to see if they had gotten the shots they were looking for. Both Hilary and Ashlyn were in full make-up and had their hair done just the way Nike wanted for the shoot. The wind wasn’t as bad as it had been in previous years but it was still a pain for the women to deal with as their hair was down and styled out. There was a hair stylist and a make-up artist huddled around the other heater and they waved when the keeper praised them to her friends.

“How are you doing babe?” Ali asked quietly when they had a moment to themselves. She was so happy to see the blonde that it was hard to keep her hands off of her. Not in a sexual way, she just kept patting her and brushing her hands down her arms and over her back. If she thought it wouldn’t look strange she would have rubbed her legs because she knew they were killing her by the way Ashlyn shifted her weight from one foot to the other over and over again. “I’m so glad to see you.”

“I’m good” Ashlyn answered and kissed her cheek. “I’m tired” she whispered so only Ali could hear her.

“Is it your feet or your legs that hurt?” the brunette asked, just as quietly. 

“Both” she replied with a small grimace. “I’m ok though.”

“Well go sit down. Can I rub them for you? Or would that be weird? I have no idea how you famous people do things here in this tent world” she giggled and walked with Ashlyn over to the chair next to Hilary.

The producer came over to talk to the ‘talent’ an hour later and explained that they wanted to get some footage of the two of them running alongside some of the very last runners on the course. The stragglers that Ali loved so much. 

“You know, you’ll be on either side of them, encouraging them to finish even though it’s dark and cold and they’re in pain” he described their vision. “It’s brilliant” he enthused, “and we owe it to Harris for the idea.”

“It’s actually Ali...” the keeper started to pass the credit off to her fiancée where it belonged but Ali just squeezed her shoulder to let her know it was ok. If they wanted to give Ashlyn the credit then that was just fine with her.

There was a spotter a couple of miles before the finish line and she would call the producer whenever one of the stragglers came into view. The crew hustled out to get into position so they could film Hilary and Ashlyn running along with them for a little bit. Sometimes they split up if there was more than one straggler at a time. Kyle and Nico had left to go meet up with some friends shortly after they had found the tent. Kyle being big-brotherly and wanting to make sure his sister found her girl. 

It was almost 8pm and that was when the producer had said they were going to stop for the day. The stream of stragglers had slowed down considerably. It was completely dark and it was cold. You could see your breath in the lights from the cameras and the streetlights. The marathon staff had taken down all of the bleacher seats near the finish line and broken down all of the barriers blocking off the streets and sidewalks except for the area directly behind the finish line. The medical tent was still there and staffed but it was mostly empty. The news crews were gone, except for one or two reporters with a single camera crew getting some footage for the 11pm news. There were a handful of spectators grouped in clumps every block or so for the last mile of the course. Ali wondered if they were waiting for a specific straggler, or maybe they had been a straggler themselves the year before and had come back to return the favor. In another couple of hours the only thing left of the marathon would be the finish line, painted directly onto Boylston Street.

The spotter called and said there were two stragglers coming and they both looked like they were in rough shape. The Nike crew all rushed out and got ready. Ashlyn and Hilary handed their puffy winter coats and mittens to the production assistant as their eyes searched the darkness for the two runners. Ali and Brittany were standing off to the side, out of the way, shivering in the cold. Ashlyn and Hilary started walking up Boylston Street at a brisk pace, trying to stay warm. They each wore different versions of the same basic outfit: Nike tights, sneakers, shirts, and thin running jackets. The only addition the producer had made because of the cold were two different styles of Nike fleece winter hat, red and black for Hilary and grey and pink for Ashlyn, to match their outfits. 

“Holy shit” Ashlyn breathed out as the stragglers came into view.

She chastised herself for swearing, remembering that they were mic’d up. They started to jog towards the two runners who were moving at about the same slow pace but were spread out about 10 feet apart from each other sideways. The runner in front of Hilary, on the left, was a younger woman who was very overweight. She was dressed in pink running tights and shirt with shorts and her runner’s bib over top. She had ear warmers on and her long blonde hair was in a thick braid behind her. Her pudgy cheeks were impossibly pink, almost as pink as her neon tights, and her mouth was wide open, desperate for air. She ran at a slow jog with an uneven and unsteady gait. One of her knees was about twice the size as the other one and her face was twisted in pain as she limped along. Hilary jogged up next to her and asked her what her name was and asked if she could run with her to finish the race. The woman looked surprised for a minute, then confused and then grateful. There was about a half mile left to go and it looked very far away at that slow pace. Hilary started talking about how proud she was of the woman and how amazing it was that she was out there in the dark finishing the race no matter what. The woman told Hilary, in gasping breaths, that she had twisted her knee back at Heartbreak Hill and had been struggling ever since. Hilary jogged next to her, encouraging her the entire rest of the way. It was really touching to watch and the few spectators that were left cheered wildly for her. Hilary told them the woman’s name so they could use it as they cheered.

The runner in front of Ashlyn, on the right, closer to the sidewalk, was an older woman. She looked to be in her 70s and was rail thin. Her black tights had a big rip at both knees and her right knee was covered in blood. Her arms were bare. She just wore a runner’s t-shirt and her bib. She was shivering and starting to slow down, even as Ashlyn approached her. Her mouth was agape, trying to get enough oxygen to continue, and she had snot running down her face and drool at the corner of her mouth. Her eyes looked dazed and her curly grey hair was matted like she had worn a hat at one point and discarded it along the way. She limped just as the other runner did and she weaved a little bit from side to side as she fought off the sheer exhaustion her body was experiencing.

“Hi, I’m Ashlyn. Is it ok if I run with you to the finish line?” she started with a concerned smile, speaking loudly in case the older woman was hard of hearing.

The woman turned her head to try and see who was talking to her. She scrunched her face up in confusion and lost her balance, almost falling until Ashlyn grabbed her firmly by the arm to right her. The keeper couldn’t believe how cold her arms were. She felt the woman shiver violently in her grasp and looked around to see if medical was close by. Ashlyn was sure this woman was freezing to death.

“Are you cold?” she asked, moving a little bit in front of the woman so she wouldn’t have to turn her head to see her. “Do you want my hat?” Ashlyn reached up and touched the hat on her head.

The old woman’s eyes got big for a split second and the blonde took her hat off and put it on the runner, careful not to get in the way of her feet.

“How about my jacket? Can I give you my jacket?” she asked as she unzipped the thin garment and quickly took it off. 

The runner nodded very slightly and the keeper held out one arm at a time and helped the woman into it. She rubbed the woman’s arms a little bit from behind her after she got it up and over her thin shoulders. The woman tried to zip the jacket up but couldn’t get her frozen hands to work.

“Here, give her my gloves!” one spectator shouted and Ashlyn ran over and got them, returning to the woman a few seconds later.

“Hey” Ashlyn got the runner’s attention as she put the gloves on her hands, stiff fingers not helping. “What’s your name?”

She tried to answer but her tongue was thick and heavy in her mouth and she was just too cold to get her mouth to work at all. All of a sudden she stopped and stood still for almost a full minute. Another spectator tossed Ashlyn a bottle of water and she held it to the runner’s lips so she could take a sip. It took a few tries but she finally got some water down. Ashlyn had zipped her jacket up for her and rubbed her arms some more.

“Marjorie” she said, in a hoarse rasp.

“Well hi Marjorie” Ashlyn grinned at her as she helped her take another sip of water. “Are you ready to finish this race?”

Marjorie managed a weak half-smile and nodded again as Ashlyn pulled her hat down lower to try and cover her bright pink ears.

“Hey everybody, let’s hear it for Marjorie!” she yelled to the small crowd. “Alright Ms. Marjorie, let’s do this” the blonde said encouragingly as she took her place at her side. 

The old woman looked down at her legs but didn’t move for a few seconds. She took both of her hands and pounded on her thighs a couple of times and then took a lurching first step forward. Hilary and the younger woman were about 20 feet in front of them now and that was just fine. At this point it wasn’t about the time or even the place that you finished the race. It was just about getting your broken body across that finish line and achieving the goal you set for yourself that morning. They limped along for another 15 feet or so, Ashlyn telling her how proud she was of her and how much she admired her strength and courage. Marjorie was moving slower than she had been before and limping much more noticeably. The keeper cringed when Marjorie’s face twisted in pain with every step her right knee took. The darker it had gotten, the colder it had gotten and there were some low-lying spots on the street where water had collected and they were starting to ice over. Before Ashlyn was able to warn the woman about it, Marjorie lost her footing on a slippery spot and flailed both of her arms out to try and save herself from falling as she lost all balance. Ashlyn tried to grab her arm but it was moving too fast. The blonde just managed to catch the old woman’s head before it smacked into the pavement, cradling the back of it with her bare hands and wincing when she felt the impact and immediate pain in both hands. ‘Fuck’ she said to herself.

Marjorie cried out in pain as her tailbone and both elbows crashed to the cold, hard ground. The spectators groaned and gasped as they watched, helplessly. Tears sprang from the old woman’s blue-grey eyes and her face contorted in agony. Ashlyn thought that was it. She thought for sure the woman was done. They could see the finish line another 100 feet in front of them. The keeper couldn’t believe it when Marjorie pulled herself into a sitting position with another moan. She took a few deep breaths and Ashlyn wasn’t sure if she was crying or just trying to breathe.

“Are you ok Marjorie?” she asked as she knelt next to her on the street, hands throbbing and the backs of her knuckles raw and bloody.

But the old woman didn’t say anything. She swiveled around on her butt and got on her hands and knees, crying out when she put weight on her already bloody right knee. She lifted her head and looked down the street at the finish line. She started to crawl.

Ashlyn stood up, astonished. An EMT team came jogging up to them but Marjorie ignored them and kept crawling.

“Marjorie” Ashlyn said from her spot next to her. “Not like this. Let’s do this right. Do you want to finish this race on your feet the way you started it?”

The old woman stopped crawling and looked all the way up at the tall blonde. They stared at each other for a minute, Ashlyn willing all of her strength to the woman on her knees. Finally Marjorie reached her right hand up to the keeper.

“Yes! Alright, let’s finish this thing” Ashlyn said as she took Marjorie’s hand and then moved behind her to lift her up. 

The keeper put her left arm around the frail woman’s tiny waist and tried to take as much of her weight as possible. It wasn’t that she was too heavy, she couldn’t have weighed more than 100 pounds, but Marjorie was still trying to run. She wanted to get there under her own steam, even if Ashlyn was helping to hold her upright. They didn’t get more than 20 feet before Marjorie’s left leg gave out on her. Ashlyn heard her whimper and start to cry. They were still 75 feet away from the finish line.

“I can’t do it” she gasped out through her tears.

“Yes you can Marjorie” Ashlyn said firmly as she held the woman in her arms. “Do you hear me? You can do this. We’ll do it together Marjorie. Do you hear me?”

Ashlyn leaned down and picked the old woman up so she was holding her in her arms, bridal style. She shifted her once, tossing her in the air a tiny bit to get a better grip on her and move the woman so her head could be closer to the keeper’s shoulder. It was all Marjorie could do to hold her head up, leaning it heavily against her new friend’s strong shoulder. 

It was a long, agonizing jog for them both. Ashlyn had never been more thankful for her strength and conditioning in her life, but it was still a tough haul. 100 pounds was still 100 pounds, even if it was wrapped up in courageous old lady. And her own legs and feet were sore as hell. But there was no way she was going to let Marjorie not finish this race. Failure was just not an option. The few remaining spectators cheered them on as the EMT team followed closely behind them. As the finish line came into clearer view, Ashlyn could see the lights of the camera crew and she remembered, for the first time since she had said hello to Marjorie, that she was there for the Nike shoot. She pushed all of that aside and focused on finding the face she needed in the crowd. She quickly scanned from left to right and back again but couldn’t see her beautiful brunette. She was about to give up looking when, at the last second, she saw her. Ali was holding up one end of a make-shift, paper finish line banner so they could run through it. Brittany Ott had the other end and the banner read, ‘Come on Marjorie! You can do it!!’

As they approached the finish line Ashlyn felt hot tears streaming down her own cheeks. All of her emotions bombarded her and her sore muscles and freezing body. She stopped jogging a few feet from the finish line and spoke to Marjorie, looking right into her cold, weathered face.

“Do you want to cross the finish line Marjorie? We’ll do it side by side but you’ll be on your own two feet. Is that what you want?” Ashlyn asked breathlessly with excitement in her eyes.

The old woman nodded and the keeper gave her a quick squeeze as she set her down on her unsteady feet, keeping one arm protectively around her waist. Ashlyn took a minute and straightened out the hat on Marjorie’s head and used her hand to wipe the snot off of the old woman’s face.

“You ready?” she asked with a wink.

“Yes” Marjorie croaked out, voice full of emotion and exhaustion.

They put their arms around each other’s waists and Ashlyn grabbed her firmly by the side of her hip and lifted her up to take as much weight as possible. They took slow, wobbly steps as the small crowd cheered. Both women had tears streaming down their faces as they finally broke through the paper banner and the crowd erupted in even louder cheers.

“You did it Marjorie” Ashlyn said quietly as they hugged on the other side of the banner. “I knew you could do it. I’m so proud of you. I’ll never forget you.”

The EMTs took Marjorie from Ashlyn’s arms and put her on a stretcher and whisked her off to the medical tent to treat her injuries. Ashlyn stood there with so many mixed emotions. She felt something warm cover her shoulders and heard people talking to her. Another team of EMTs was asking her questions as they quickly gave her the once-over. They put some antiseptic on her scraped up hands and told her to hold the mylar blanket around her shoulders. One of the reporters who had stayed so late and gotten an exclusive on one of the stories of the day held a microphone in front of her face and asked more questions. Hilary came up behind her at the same time and put her warm puffy coat around her shoulders with a soft hug.

“You ok Harris?” she asked, genuinely concerned for her friend and unaware of the reporter.

“Hey that’s Ashlyn Harris” somebody said.

“And Hilary Knight. They must be doing another Betty Sue’s commercial or something” somebody else added.

The reporter got even more excited when she realized the woman who was half of the best human-interest story of the day was a local sports star. She got more insistent and put the microphone back in Ashlyn’s face.

“What do you have to say about what we just witnessed here tonight?”

Ashlyn finally focused her eyes on the eager woman with the microphone in front of her and the faces of the crowd around her. She felt Hilary pat her on her arm and get her to stand up so they could get out of there and get warm. As she stood and put her arms into her puffy coat she looked over towards the medical tent.

“I think Marjorie is the ultimate badass. She’s the story here. She’s amazing.”

//

Late that night, after Ali had bathed her keeper, and tended to her sore muscles, aching feet, bruised ribs and scraped up hands, they lay together in bed talking and kissing and holding each other close. They talked about the first two days of the commercial shoot and Ashlyn filled the brunette in on all the details, sharing how nervous and excited she had been working on her first big-time commercial project. 

“Greg says that Nike is so happy with the first two days of shooting that they almost cancelled tomorrow” the blonde shared with a proud grin. “He’s going crazy with interview requests after tonight’s dramatics.”

“I know” Ali added and squeezed her keeper tighter. “The website and social media all exploded tonight for Knight-Harris. You have the best luck babe. Honestly, I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“It’s karma I think. And you” Ashlyn replied, kissing the brunette deeply. “Seriously, all of these high-profile connections I’ve made have been because of you.” She smiled as Ali’s brow furrowed in doubt. “Think about it. I met Julian at your work golf event. He’s been a big reason people outside of soccer are starting to recognize me. And you’re the one who thought Hil and I should market ourselves as a duo and try to broaden our fanbases that way. Fucking genius plan, princess.” She leaned down and kissed her girl again. “And that partnership with Hil and your pitch to Nike are the only reasons we got the Nike deal at all. Greg worked on it but that was your idea and your work honey.” They kissed for another few minutes, just loving being close and intimate, breathing the same air. “And tonight’s beautiful moment with Marjorie doesn’t happen if we don’t have the Nike deal. And even if we had the Nike deal it still doesn’t happen if you hadn’t told me how much you love the stragglers. Seriously, it’s all because of you Al. I know it and Greg knows it and Hilary knows it. I just wish the whole world knew it too.”

“I don’t care who knows any of that babe. As long as it helps you do what you love, that’s all I need.” Ali pressed kisses all over her fiancée’s face and neck, inhaling her scent and loving her taste. “And the idea is only half the equation. Everybody knows that. The other half, arguably the most important part, is the execution. If you don’t work your magic none of the ideas matter.” 

“All I know is that we’re an amazing team, honey. I mean it, just the best team ever. We have different strengths and weaknesses and we trust each other to do our part and we just never stop believing.” 

They discussed the Breakers game the night before and what a great win it had been and how optimistic the players all were for this season. Ashlyn told her fiancée how weird it had been to look over and see her beautiful brunette sitting next to Tom Brady and chatting him up all game long. They talked about Sarah being there with her new girlfriend. And Ashlyn teased Ali about Deb sitting next to her ex and getting more than she bargained for once she realized who the architect had been in her daughter’s life. 

“So, did you die when you realized your mom was sitting next to Sarah or what?” Ashlyn giggled.

“Ugh, that was not the game for Sarah and Erin to come to” Ali rolled her eyes and pinched the blonde playfully. “There was too much going on and I was completely having a heart attack about Tom Brady. And just when I thought I had made it out of the VIP situation without embarrassing myself too much, Elaine pulls me aside to tell me they’re in the seats next to mine. God I seriously considered leaving everybody and just going home” she chuckled. “It was so hard to focus on the game at first, and really, that’s all I cared about. I just wanted my girl to play well and for her team to get a win.”

“I was mad. I was pissed off at the shitty scheduling of the commercial shoot. I was exhausted by the time I got to the locker room. I told Whitney and wondered if I should tell coach I couldn’t play.”

“No, you didn’t” Ali gasped in surprise.

“Whit talked me out of it but I thought about it. My legs felt like lead.”

They were both quiet for several minutes, thinking about all they had said. Ali put her head lower and rested it on top of the keeper’s left breast, listening to her heartbeat and enjoying the feeling of Ashlyn playing with her hair.

“Were you really ok with Sarah coming out with us afterwards? I know we didn’t stay long and you were exhausted, but what did you think?” the brunette finally asked, afraid of the response.

“Yeah, I mean, I didn’t say more than a couple of words to her when she introduced me to Erin, but I thought it went well. I’m really not the best person to ask because I didn’t see much of her.”

“No, babe, I want to know how you felt about it. That’s why I’m asking you. I don’t care what anybody else thinks. I want to make sure you’re ok with it.”

“Honestly?” the keeper paused as she worked her brain around the question. “I think I’m ok but I really don’t know. You’re right, that wasn’t the best game for them to come to.” She chuckled. “There was a lot going on.” 

“Ok, well we’ll try again another time and see how it goes” Ali rolled her face down and placed a kiss between Ashlyn’s breasts. “I love listening to your heartbeat” she confessed with a shy look. “It always makes me feel safe.”

The keeper pulled her fiancée up onto her chest so she could kiss her lips. They made out for a long time, keeping it fairly harmless. Ali had been aching for the blonde since the night before but didn’t want a repeat of that failure. She was trying to keep their time together tonight more innocent which is why they both had their pajamas on. What she craved even more than sex was the connection they were experiencing at that very moment. She could wait another night for sex as long as she felt close to Ashlyn in the meantime.

“I think I owe you an apology” Ashlyn offered softly, eyes shifting uncomfortably.

“What do you mean? What for Ash?” the brunette pulled back a little so she could see the blonde’s beautiful face better. 

“Well, I woke up naked this morning and, unless you drugged me and wiped my memory somehow, that means I fell asleep before we had sex last night” she said slowly as her face got red. “And that’s not ok” she said, not even able to look at Ali. “Al, I’m so sorry.”

“Oh geez are you cute right now or what?” the brunette said as she kissed her shy girl on the cheek and used her hand to turn Ashlyn’s face back towards her. “I do not accept your very sweet apology because I should have known it was not the right time to try and have sex in the first place. You were just too nice to say no to me, weren’t you?”

“Umm...”

“Ash look, I should have known better, you were fucking falling asleep in the truck on the drive home for God’s sake. So that’s on me and I’m the one who’s sorry.” She kissed her keeper’s lips once and then waited until Ashlyn looked her in the eye again. “But in the future, you have to tell me if you’re too tired or if you just don’t feel like it. I won’t get mad. I’ll just wait. Or, if I can’t wait, I’ll take care of myself and you can just hold me or whatever.”

Ali looked into the keeper’s eyes and tried to understand what she saw there. It was a mixture of embarrassment and regret with something else mixed in...maybe love or was it lust?

“Are you thinking about me fingering myself?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Umm...”

“Ashlyn, honestly” the brunette shook her head, slightly annoyed. “I’m trying to have a serious conversation with you...”

“I’m sorry honey. I hear what you’re saying. And you’re right. I was too tired for sex last night but I didn’t want to hurt your feelings so I just tried to tough it out...”

“Tough it out?” Ali rolled off the keeper and onto her own side of the bed in a huff. “Really Ash? I know you don’t mean it like that but God” she said, exasperated.

“I’m sorry” Ashlyn whined and got up on her elbow, moving closer to the ticked off brunette. “Fuck Al, you know there’s nothing I love more than having sex with you. I don’t know why I said it like that” she shook her head and dropped her chin, disappointed with herself. “I’m an idiot sometimes and my words come out all wrong. There is absolutely nothing tough about having sex with you baby. I’m sorry.”

Ashlyn put her hand on Ali’s flat stomach, right underneath her arms that were crossed over her chest. She waited a few minutes and didn’t say or do anything other than rub her thumb along the bottom of the brunette’s ribs.

“I’m sorry sweetheart. And I agree with what you’re saying” she tried again, speaking softly and slowly. “If you were too tired I’d want you to do exactly what you said. I’d be a little disappointed, just selfishly, but I would totally understand. I promise, next time I’ll tell you” she said sincerely and pressed a warm kiss into Ali’s bare shoulder. “Ok?”

Ali made her wait another minute before letting her off the hook, satisfied that she had learned the lesson. She took the blonde’s hand in hers and squeezed it as she rolled onto her side to face her.

“You’re lucky you’re the hero of the marathon” she started evenly. “How can I be mad at someone who gave a stranger her clothes and then carried her half a mile to the finish line so she could cross it herself?” she finished with a small smile as she leaned in and kissed Ashlyn’s lips.

“Oh, am I going to get some play out of that? Really?” she asked and giggled into the kiss.

“Yeah, maybe just a little bit” Ali smirked and kissed her again. “It was only the sweetest, most amazing thing I’ve ever seen.” 

“Oh, is that all” the keeper quipped. “Well then I’d better not tell you that when I thought my legs were going to give out half-way, I looked for you and almost gave up when I couldn’t find you.”

“Oh honey.”

“But then I saw you, holding the end of the banner, and that’s all I needed.”

“The banner?” Ali teased with a wink.

“No, not the banner” Ashlyn chuckled when she realized her girl was teasing her. “You, baby. As soon as I saw your face I felt all your strength and love and I just knew I could do it.”

“Oh Ashlyn,” the brunette said breathlessly, “you say the most wonderful things to me.”

“I love you Ali.”


	11. Fitting in a Busy Week

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut warning

“So what do you think mom?” 

Kyle and Sydney had seen the dress before because they were with Ali when she found it on their last stop during their visit to NYC back in January. The brunette had been on the brink of despair and no pep talk would be able to calm her down. She had struck out time and time again during that weekend and her hopes weren’t high when they walked into the last shop on Kyle’s list late Sunday afternoon. But it had only taken twenty minutes for her to find the dress she had been looking for. 

“Oh Alex” Deb said in an emotional whisper. “You look beautiful honey.”

It was the day after the marathon and Ali watched as her mom ran her eyes up and down, taking the whole dress in. She turned to show her the back, giving her a minute there too. Then she did a full turn, slowly and carefully so she didn’t undo any of the pins holding things in place for the alterations. The brunette faced her mother and met her eyes, the ones that looked so much like her own. She saw tears slip slowly down her mom’s cheeks as they looked at each other, exchanging a lifetime of love without saying a word.

“You’re her mom, you’re supposed to say that” Kyle jokingly prodded. “What do you think about the dress?”

Deb shot a half-annoyed glance at her son and then brought her attention back to the bride-to-be in front of her.

“I think it’s beautiful. I love it. I think it’s just perfect.” Deb got up and walked over to her daughter to get a closer look at some of the details. Ali reached out and took her mother’s hand, squeezing it and smiling at her first best friend, her first protector, her first cheerleader and her best teacher.

“Oh my God you two” Sydney moaned from her seat between Kyle and Whitney. “You’re killing me. I can’t stop crying. No, really, please stop so I can stop crying. My eyes need a break.”

Deb and Ali looked at the coach and laughed along with Kyle. It amused all of them that one of the side-effects of her pregnancy had been uncontrollable tears. Sydney was not a crier. She was tough and when toughness wasn’t enough she used humor as a shield. But tears just weren’t common for her. At least not until she became pregnant and cried at the drop of a hat.

“Come on, show some pity for your poor matron of honor” Kyle chuckled as he hugged the coach.

“That’s another thing” she sat upright again, pulling out of Kyle’s hug, “you owe me bigtime for getting married first. You got to be the cute adorable ‘maid’ of honor and I’m stuck being the old, haggard ‘matron’ of honor.” She rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out distastefully. “I so got the raw end of the deal.”

They all laughed again as the seamstress came back into the room with Sydney and Whitney’s dresses over her arm.

“Well you shouldn’t be so damned impulsive then” Ali sassed back. “Totally your own fault boo.”

They gossiped back and forth about little things and about the big goings-on from the weekend as the two bridesmaids got into their dresses and Ali got out of hers. Deb went back to help the seamstress and her daughter get the beautiful wedding dress off with all the pins intact. When Whitney and Sydney stood before them, modeling their different dresses and then holding still as the seamstress pinned them, talk turned to Kyle and his relationship with Nico.

“Oh geez, what did I do to deserve this?” he asked with a nervous, sideways glance.

“You didn’t do anything honey” Deb said with a pat on his leg. “We love you and want to know how serious this is with you and Nico.”

“Yeah Kyle, come on, spill it” Sydney encouraged.

“I don’t know what you’re looking for” he started, shifting a little uncomfortably in his chair. “But I can tell you it’s serious.” He waited, hoping that was enough, but when all four women stared at him he knew he wasn’t going to escape without being honest. “Ahh, you guys” he bent his head and blushed a little bit.

Ali put her arm around his broad shoulders and squeezed the back of his neck a couple of times as she smiled up at him. He had his sister on one side and his mother on the other and they were both literally laying their hands on him to show him how much they loved and supported him.

“Ok, well, we’ve done the I love yous, that was a big deal because I loved him way before he loved me and I was terrified to say it because I knew it would crush me if he didn’t say it back.”

“But he did say it back” Ali added with a grin.

“Yep, surprised the hell out of me. But he said it and he meant it. So, you know” Kyle shrugged his shoulders as a tiny blush crept up his smiling face.

“How long have you guys been dating?” Whitney piped up for one of the few times that afternoon.

“Since August, so almost nine months” Kyle replied, appreciating the easy question.

“Yeah, but you guys, like, were friends already from New Year’s, right?” Ali clarified.

“Yes, we met at a New Year’s Eve party last year. I had just moved into my new apartment and we had some of the same friends in common, although we didn’t know it at the time. And we hit it off and spent almost the whole night together, with other people, like his girlfriend” Kyle explained and made an eek face when he got to the part about Nico’s girlfriend. “He went to LA to shoot his show for six months and I got settled in Brooklyn and we just, kept in touch I guess.”

“Oh come on Kyle” Sydney interrupted. “You were glued to your phone that entire time. If you weren’t texting him you were Facetiming him or calling him.”

Kyle chuckled and blushed some more. “Ok, well, that’s all true. Once he broke up with his girlfriend we spent a lot of time communicating with each other. And then, when he finally came back to NYC, we got to spend time together in person and it just sort of went from there.”

“Are you the first man he’s been in a relationship with?” Deb asked evenly, bravely going where they were all too afraid to go.

“Yes. He had hooked up with a couple of guys before but never actually dated anybody” Kyle answered self-consciously. “Thanks for that one Mom.”

“I’m sorry honey, but I worry about that. I like Nico very much, more than I thought I would if I’m being totally honest” she said, surprising everyone with her candor. “But I’m just afraid...”

“I’m afraid too mom” Kyle answered quietly. “I’m just an experiment. Or he’s not really gay or bi or whatever he considers himself now.” He looked down and took a deep breath. “It terrifies me if I let myself think about it. But what if he is madly in love with me and we are meant to be together? How dumb would I be if I didn’t give that a chance?”

“I think we can all see that he loves you BB” Ali replied. “I’m so happy for you.”

“Real love would have come with you to this fitting today. I’m just saying...” Sydney winked at the man who had basically been her big brother too.

Everybody laughed, even the seamstress.

“He offered” Kyle admitted with a grin.

“No he didn’t” Deb challenged with a playful smile.

“He most certainly did” Kyle replied. “But I told him he didn’t have to. Instead, he offered to pack up all of our stuff so we didn’t have to do it earlier this afternoon while we were...relaxing.”

“Alright, there’s the line and we’re just going to jump right back onto our side of it, right ladies?” Whitney teased, surprising Deb and Kyle with her sense of humor.

“Are you living together yet?” Sydney asked plainly.

“Wow, the hits just keep right on coming” he inhaled sharply and raised his eyebrows as he shifted in his seat again. “No, not officially. But we’re together more than we’re apart, unless one of us has to travel for work.”

“So it’s just a matter of time then? Do you have a drawer at his place and all of that?” the coach continued her line of questioning.

Kyle chuckled and gave the pregnant woman a smile.

“Yeah, we both have a couple of drawers at each other’s place. We usually hang at mine because of Luna.”

“His dog” Ali answered Whitney’s question before she got the chance to ask it.

“My first grand-puppy” Deb said sweetly.

“Oh crap, is that the time?” Kyle said, sitting up and looking at the time on his phone again. “Dad’s picking Nico and our bags up and then meeting me down near the Seaport. We’re getting a late bite to eat before he takes us to the train later tonight” he rattled off as he stood up and hugged everybody goodbye. “I’ve gotta go try and catch a cab or I’ll be late.”

Ali walked with him to the door of the fancy dress shop in downtown Boston and gave him another hug.

“Thank you for everything Ky. I love you.”

“I love you too sis. You look gorgeous in that dress. Don’t you ever forget it.”

//

After all of the excitement from their busy four day weekend of fun, the rest of the week went by very smoothly and much too fast. Deb didn’t spend as much time with her friends as she did on a typical visit. Instead she chose to stay at the big old house, relaxing and playing with the puppies and cooking for the girls. Ali worked from her office each afternoon and Deb asked her if she could sit up there with her so she could try and figure out what it was that the brunette did for Knight-Harris. She had been supportive of her daughter’s decision to leave her sales job at the end of the year and start working for Knight-Harris full time, but she didn’t fully understand what that meant. She got an eyeful and an earful of how challenging it was for Ali to do both at the same time. Deb stretched out on the couch in Ali’s office with some magazines she had wanted to read. She watched her daughter literally turn from one phone and laptop on one side of her desk to another phone and laptop on the other side of the ‘L’ shaped desk as she switched between the two jobs. She listened as email notifications dinged on both laptops, appreciating the different sounds Ali had assigned to them to help her keep her dual work life separate and manageable. 

Deb watched with wide eyes as the brunette shut off her sales job laptop at 5:00pm sharp and put that phone on silent at the same time. Ali worked at her desk for another hour on Knight-Harris correspondence and social media updates and responses. It had been a busier week than usual, thanks to all of the publicity Ashlyn had garnered with the Patriots coming to the Breakers game and her moment in the spotlight at the Marathon. Ashlyn was in demand that week like never before. Some of the pictures of her carrying Marjorie to the finish line had gone viral and everybody across the country was talking about the kindness of strangers and the courage of one particular runner. Greg had lined up interviews for Ashlyn every day after training at the Breakers facility and a couple in the evenings on the local news stations. She was doing an interview that very night, that’s why she wasn’t home yet.

“It sure is exciting honey” Deb said as they made their way downstairs to feed the puppies and take them for a walk. “I don’t know how you can do both jobs though, I’m impressed and nervous.”

“I’ve thought about quitting the sales job sooner. I think about it every day actually” she admitted, a little ashamed. “The only thing that’s keeping me there is the health insurance.”

Deb looked surprised but took a minute to formulate a question.

“As soon as I quit my job I lose my health care and I don’t know if I want to do that.”

“Can’t you get on Ashlyn’s insurance once you’re married?”

“No, the NWSL insurance isn’t very good. She’s just lucky she’s insured at all. Hopefully, when the league grows those benefits will get better too.”

“Is there a reason you’re worried about needing health care Alex” Deb’s voice was flat and worried.

“Oh God no mom” Ali gave her mother a side hug to reassure her. “I’m fine. Nothing to worry about, I promise.”

“But you’re thinking about what’s next after the wedding aren’t you?” Deb asked, scrutinizing her daughter’s face as she replied to the question.

“Umm, I guess I am” Ali said slowly, processing as she spoke. “I hadn’t really thought about why I was worried about losing my insurance. I just was worried. But, yeah, I want to have a baby sooner rather than later and I’m going to need insurance for that for sure.”

“Oh Alex” Deb squealed and hugged her daughter tightly as the puppies squirmed around their feet, feeding off of Deb’s excitement. “I’m so excited for you. Oh honey, you’re going to be the best little mother...”

“Ok mom, calm down. Nobody’s pregnant yet and it’s not just going to accidentally happen so it won’t be a secret or a surprise” she chuckled. “I’ll let you know when we get it figured out, I promise.” 

//

The Breakers had a game in Houston that Sunday and they were flying out Saturday afternoon. They were at the top of the table after one game so far that season. Technically, they were tied with the four other teams that had won last weekend, but because Boston came first alphabetically the Breakers were listed at the top of the table. So far, so good. 

Whitney and Ashlyn had done one team dinner so far, last week before the first game. It had gone well and had been well attended. Kristie Mewis and Julie King made sure everybody knew they were expected to be there even though it wasn’t officially mandatory. The players that had been to the big old house before were more than happy to return. The new players to the team were hesitant, more curious than concerned, but still a little wary. Whitney had made it clear what the purpose was as soon as they had all arrived that first week.

“Look, I don’t want to waste any time talking about last season except to say that it sucked and I’m not going through another one like that. It’s just not an option. So this season is going to be different. This is a different team and I don’t want to talk about last year anymore.”

She looked around the room and saw several heads nodding. 

“We’re more than a team guys, we’re a family now. And we’ve gotta play and fight and compete for each other like family from this point on. It’s us against them and when it comes time to step onto the pitch...well, fuck them!”

Most of the players cheered or shouted or somehow endorsed their captain’s message. The rookies were a little quiet, just observing and trying to see how they could fit into this new family.

“So to help us become a better family we’re doing team dinner every week before a game. We’re thinking Wednesday nights will probably be the normal night and we can all plan around it going forward. If we have to change it we’ll let you know. But when you come here we want you to relax and be comfortable. Let this be your home away from home for the night where you’re surrounded by people who actually care about you and want you to succeed and be happy. Anybody have any questions?”

“Yeah, what is that amazing smell and when can I eat it?” Tasha Dowie asked, seriously, as everyone else laughed.

“In a minute Tash” Whitney answered with a chuckle.

“Can I play with the puppies?” Rose Lavelle asked shyly.

Whitney looked at Ashlyn on the other side of the room who just grinned and nodded.

“Yes, of course you can. Here’s the deal. This is Ashlyn’s house and we need to treat it with respect. If we can do that, I can tell you from personal experience, she will let you do almost anything you want” the captain answered.

“Take your shoes off when you come in the door, use a coaster, don’t spill things, clean up after yourself, use your head, pretend you paid for whatever it is that you’re sitting on or putting your feet on or walking on. Don’t be the asshole that ruins this for the rest of the family” Kristie said with a challenging, bitchy look on her face. “And I mean that from the bottom of my heart.”

“Ok, let’s eat!” Ashlyn said to the eighteen visitors with her dimple on display.

Because of Ashlyn’s insane schedule that week after the marathon, team dinner had been moved to Friday night. Ali was not happy about it because she had hoped to have Ashlyn all to herself Friday night so they could connect and have their ‘send-off sex’ in peace and quiet. They had to get up early Saturday morning to take the puppies to puppy class so she wanted an early evening with her keeper. Instead, she spent the night watching tv with her mom in the master bedroom, listening to raucous laughter coming up the back stairs from the kitchen.

“Not exactly how you planned to spend your evening?” Deb asked gently as she turned off the tv and stood up to go get ready for bed.

“No, and I’m sorry I wasn’t very good company tonight mom. I just haven’t seen her much this week and was looking forward to some quiet time. That’s all” Ali offered with a half-smile. 

“She’ll be up soon and I’ll bet she will even have cleaned up downstairs too” Deb giggled and leaned over to hug her daughter. “Goodnight honey.”

“Night mom.”

By the time Ashlyn got upstairs and put the puppies in their crates for bed it was just after 11pm. She saw that the brunette had fallen asleep, propped up in bed with her glasses on and her laptop open on her lap. The keeper got ready for bed as quickly and quietly as she could before walking over to Ali’s side of the bed and closing her laptop and putting it on the nightstand shelf. She removed her glasses, silenced her phone and put them both on her nightstand and then climbed into her side of the bed. As she slid under the sheets she saw that her thoughtful fiancée had worn the keeper’s favorite lingerie set, the teddy in Carolina blue. A wave of regret washed over Ashlyn as she thought back over the hectic week. She had missed volunteering at the marathon with Ali. She had missed the dinner after the dress fitting on Tuesday. She hadn’t been home after training all week, staying late for interviews. And she had been out late Wednesday and Thursday nights doing the local news shows with Greg. And now, the one night they had together, had been co-opted by team dinner and she had brought eighteen teammates home with her for dinner and games afterwards. She fought back tears as she sat there in bed, covers gathered around her waist and head buried in her hands. She had to think really hard to remember the last time they had made love. Thursday night, over a week ago, before Deb flew in on Friday. Everything had been a blur since then. Ashlyn was happy for the unexpected publicity and would never complain about that aspect of her life right now. But, if the reason she was seeking the publicity was so she could help the league grow and then provide better for her family, what was the fucking point if she never got to see her family? She could feel the stress circulating through her body and she thought about taking a hot shower to try and relax. 

“Are you ok babe?”

Ashlyn jumped when she heard Ali’s sleepy voice and felt her soft, warm touch on her back. The brunette lowered herself into the bed from her propped up position and moved closer to the blonde. She rubbed one hand around Ashlyn’s back and squeezed the keeper’s closest thigh with the other.

“I’m sorry honey. I didn’t mean to wake you. And I’m sorry it’s so late and I’m sorry team dinner was tonight and I’m sorry...” she started to cry, unable to finish apologizing for life in general.

“Shhhh, sweetheart, it’s ok” Ali sat up and pulled the blonde into her arms so she could hold her while she cried. “I just dozed off for a few minutes. It’s not that late. And you don’t need to apologize for anything my love.” Ali spoke slowly and softly, caressing the keeper’s back as she held her. “Shhhh, everything’s ok. You don’t have anything to worry about.” 

The brunette slowly kissed the top of her head and the back of her head and every other place on her head she could reach with her lips. Ashlyn sniffled and wiped her eyes with her fingers, sitting up to take a few deep breaths. Ali leaned over and planted warm kisses all around her beautiful face. She kissed away the tears and brought their lips together in a slow kiss, smiling when she felt the blonde’s lips quiver slightly at the contact.

“I love you so much Al” the keeper mumbled against her lips.

“I love you too honey” the brunette mumbled back tenderly.

Without any warning, the familiar spark lit up and crackled to life as their lips moved together. They both felt it and responded to it hungrily. Ashlyn pressed her lips against the brunette’s harder and tugged on her bottom lip with her teeth, making Ali moan softly. The brunette answered by shoving her tongue inside Ashlyn’s mouth, swirling it around and exploring. The kiss turned passionate and needy and desperate and their hands started grabbing and squeezing and kneading. Ali finally pulled away, gasping for breath as Ashlyn pushed her back against the pillow and kicked the covers down towards the foot of the bed. She gave her another hard kiss as her hands travelled up and down the brunette’s beautiful body. Ali’s fingers went to the bottom of Ashlyn’s t-shirt and started to lift it up with another moan. She bit down on the keeper’s strong tongue in her mouth as Ashlyn tried to pull back from the kiss so she could sit up and take her shirt off.

“Goddamn” was all the blonde could muster.

She ripped her shirt over her head as she straddled Ali’s hips and lower abs, grinding down against them with her hot, wet core thinly veiled under her boxer briefs.

“Oh, fuck” Ali moaned as she felt a gush of passion pool between her own trembling legs.

She closed her eyes and arched her back at the sensation as she reached for the waistline of the keeper’s boxer briefs. She ran her finger inside the soft elastic, her short nails moving across Ashlyn’s smooth skin.

“Fuuuuck” the blonde groaned as she felt goosebumps erupt all over her stomach. 

She hovered above Ali as the brunette took both hands and pulled the boxer briefs down her thighs, allowing the keeper to pull her knees up and out of them, one at a time. Ali clutched the underwear and brought it to her face so she could smell Ashlyn’s passion. That was it. The blonde couldn’t wait another second after that. She planted another searing kiss on Ali’s lips as she reached behind her neck and undid the clasp of the sexy teddy. Ashlyn, still kissing her beautiful brunette, pulled the teddy down Ali’s torso, relaxing the tension on it and loosening the lower part of the one-piece lingerie. She brought her strong hands up and started massaging Ali’s breasts, pinching her stiff nipples and causing her to gasp from inside the kiss.

“Mmmmmm” the brunette hummed against Ashlyn’s hungry lips, arching her back again and pushing her breasts further into the keeper’s hands. 

Ashlyn brought one hand down and ran it between Ali’s legs, making some space in the slack material. She moved her finger along the satin covering her entrance and slipped it inside the crotch of the teddy, groaning loudly when she felt how wet the brunette was.

“Ohhh, yes babe” Ali moaned as they ended the kiss so they could breath. 

Ashlyn looked at the brunette’s dark eyes with their heavy lids. As soon as Ali’s eyelids fluttered open, momentarily recovered from the most recent wave of passion running through her entire body, the keeper saw the raw desire there. She pushed the crotch of the teddy to the side and inserted two of her long fingers into Ali’s center, moaning again when they were all the way inside. Ashlyn sucked on her left breast, working her tongue around the hard nipple while her left hand worked on Ali’s right breast. She began to pump her fingers in and out of the brunette’s wet and wanting pussy. She worked fast, unable to restrain her own desire which felt like it was about to make her head explode. Ashlyn’s thrusts grew fast and hard and she could feel Ali’s walls squeezing her fingers, looking for more friction. She slowed down and added a third finger before getting right back to pumping Ali’s satin walls. She looked at the brunette’s face, flush with lust, mouth open and panting, and felt another gush between her own legs. Ali’s chest was heaving and the keeper kept her left hand up to pinch and tease her nipples while she moved her mouth down lower. She wished she had pulled the teddy all the way off because it was now in the way of the brunette’s delicious clit. Ashlyn pressed her lips around Ali’s clit and blew hot air through the skimpy material of the teddy. Ali shouted out her reply.

“Yes, Jesus!”

Ashlyn kept thrusting hard and fast with her three fingers while she sucked and licked Ali’s clit through the teddy. Before she could even ask, Ali lifted her hips and pushed the teddy down over them, letting the keeper pull them all the way down her legs before returning to pounding her soaking wet pussy. Free at last. The blonde eagerly licked and sucked all around Ali’s clit while she moved her left hand back up to her erect nipples.

“Mmmmmmmm” Ali moaned again and closed her eyes when she felt the wonderful pressure on her aching clit.

She was climbing fast and they both knew it. The brunette had two fistfuls of blonde hair and held her keeper’s face right where it was.

“More” she mumbled, practically incoherent she was so far gone.

Ashlyn felt the brunette’s walls clamp down on her fingers and started to flick Ali’s clit as hard and fast as she could with her strong tongue.

“Yes. Yes. Yessss!” Ali shouted again, so lost in the moment she didn’t care if her mother heard her or if she woke the puppies up.

The keeper pinched her nipple and flicked her clit a few more times and Ali tumbled over the edge. Her whole body jerked and then stilled and then shook violently as the orgasm hit her hard.

“Oh my God...” she moaned as she rode it out, eyes squeezed shut and toes curled.

Ashlyn pulled her fingers out and replaced them with her tongue, licking through Ali’s wet folds. She licked up all the juices she could find and then sucked the last of it off of her own fingers before moving up to hold her girl.

Ali’s heart was still racing as she felt her keeper wrap her in her arms and place kisses down her neck.

“Unhh” was all she could get her mouth to say.

“What was that princess?” Ashlyn teased with a giggle. “I couldn’t quite make that out. Can you grunt again for me?”

They both chuckled and Ali turned so they were hugging each other, face to face, on their sides.

“Wow” she finally said.

“That’s better. Not much, but I’ll take it” Ashlyn quipped again.

“I can’t get over how incredible you make me feel Ashlyn” she said before taking another few deep breaths. “Unfuckingbelievable.”

“I wanted to take my time with you but I just got so turned on I couldn’t help myself” Ashlyn admitted with a small shrug. “Sorry baby.”

“Nothing to be sorry for. That felt awesome. Thank you babe.” Ali kissed her fiancée on the lips and felt her stomach flutter when she tasted herself there. “As soon as I can move my arms and legs again I’m gonna make you feel just as good” she said as she slid her knee up between Ashlyn’s thighs and pressed it into her wet center.

“Mmmmmm” the keeper hummed as she started to grind against Ali’s knee. “I know you will. Fuck yeah” she grunted out as her clit finally found purchase against the brunette’s knee. “Why don’t we do this every single night again?”

Ali chuckled, a low throaty laugh, as she moved her hands up to play with Ashlyn’s breasts and nipples.

“I have no fucking clue.”


	12. Houston, Nasturtiums, Puppies and Oh Boy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I missed the update yesterday. Here it is, a day late.  
> Don't worry though, today's will still go up as planned.  
> *****I'm going to the She Believes Cup match in DC on Tuesday and I have an extra ticket. My travelling companion just had to bail on the trip. It's going to go to waste so if anybody wants it please let me know. It's a good seat, first row of the stands, midfield (not pitchside). You'll have to sit next to me though. ;) All it will cost you is a beer.

It was a strong feeling of déjà vu. Ali was in bed with her laptop, working on Knight-Harris updates on her phone. It was just after 10pm Sunday night and she was watching the Breakers play the Dash in Houston. There were about 20 minutes left to play and Ashlyn was sprinting off her line again, trying to get to a dangerous ball from a bad clearance before Carli Lloyd did.

“Jesus fucking Christ Ashlyn” the brunette whispered to nobody.

They had talked about it Saturday morning after they got home from puppy class. Ali had been dreading the Houston game ever since the schedule was announced. She knew it was irrational but she couldn’t help it. The brunette had wanted to ask her keeper if she was nervous about it but, in case the brave blonde wasn’t, she didn’t want to create a problem where none existed. Thankfully, Deb brought it up, innocently enough, so her daughter didn’t have to.

“Are you nervous about the game tomorrow?” Deb asked as they all sat in the living room watching the puppies fall asleep after their busy morning at class. “I mean, it’s your first time back at that stadium since...”

“Mom” Ali said quietly, but with an unsure tone.

“Oh, I’m so sorry” Deb apologized. “I didn’t know I wasn’t supposed to ask about it.”

Ashlyn looked at Whitney and grinned. “You owe me twenty bucks.”

“Ugh, Ali you’re killing me” Whitney groaned and rolled her eyes. “I thought you’d be the one to ask her.”

Ashlyn laughed out loud and chucked her best friend’s arm. Deb wasn’t sure how to react but when she looked at her daughter’s face she knew she had just opened a can of worms for the couple. Ali looked down and rubbed her hand across Fred’s belly in her mom’s lap. 

“I told you Whit, they’re both nervous nellies. Pay up chiquita.” Ashlyn, who was holding a sleeping Persey in her lap, hadn’t looked at her fiancée yet.

Whitney felt the change though. She had been living with Ali for a little over a year and she knew when the brunette was upset but trying not to be. The defender gave Ashlyn a stern look and then excused herself to go finish her packing for the away game. Deb desperately wanted to leave the room too but she had the sleeping puppy on her lap and felt trapped. The keeper finally turned her head and looked at the two dark haired women.

“Oh man, are you mad?” she asked as she lowered her head but kept her eyes up so she could try and see Ali’s downturned face. 

“I’m going to get lunch started. It’ll be good to send you girls off for your game with a nice hot meal.” Deb shifted the sleeping puppy onto the couch next to her daughter and went to the kitchen.

“Ugh, they both left. I’m totally in trouble. I’m sorry baby, I didn’t mean to upset you.” Ashlyn reached her hand out to hold Ali’s. She was relieved when the brunette let her interlock their fingers.

“Al, please look at me.” Ashlyn pleaded quietly, knowing how much Ali hated arguing in front of other people. “Please?”

But the brunette kept her head down as she continued patting Fred’s insanely soft belly. She didn’t want to fight with her love. They had finally connected emotionally and physically last night and their morning had been wonderful so far. She especially didn’t want to fight just before Ashlyn would leave for her away game. Ali sat there for another couple of minutes trying to figure out why Ashlyn’s bet had bothered her so much in the first place. To her credit, the blonde gave Ali the time she needed. She just sat there holding her hand and watching her pat the caramel puppy.

“I’m scared Ash” she finally admitted in a steady but soft voice, eyes still on Fred. “Every time you take the pitch I’m scared because I know what could happen. I know you could get injured at any time, in any game or even in practice...”

“Or even crossing the street...”

“Don’t” Ali looked at the keeper seriously and shook her head, pulling her hand back away from hers. “Don’t lecture me about the risks that are all around us. I get it. I know I never played professionally but I used to play enough to know that once you step on the pitch it’s game time and you just do what you’ve trained for your whole life. I don’t need you to tell me that Ash.” She took a minute and tried to stay calm, aggravated by her fiancée’s patronizing interruption. “I’m scared every game but I push it down because I know it’s who you are and what you love and what you do. And I would never want to change that, or you. But to hear you laughing and joking about it...” she let the words drift off, unable to find the next few that would describe what she was feeling.

“I’m really sorry honey, I didn’t think about how that would sound from your point of view” the keeper replied quietly. She tried to take Ali’s hand again but the brunette wasn’t ready.

“Well, you should try it sometime Ashlyn” she couldn’t hide the hurt and anger from her voice any more. “Imagine how you would feel if you watched me put myself in a risky situation twenty fucking times a year. And that’s not counting all the trainings and practices.”

“Al, I...”

“Fuck you for making a joke out of it” Ali said as her voice broke and her tears started to fall as she lowered her eyes to the puppy again.

Ashlyn moved Persey off of her lap and pulled her fiancée over into her arms. Ali resisted at first but the keeper just pulled harder, cradling the brunette in her arms so she could hold her tightly against her chest. They stayed like that for several minutes without saying anything.

“Sweetheart I’m so sorry” Ashlyn finally said softly, kissing the top of Ali’s head in between sentences. “I’ve never ever thought about that. Not once. It would kill me if anything ever happened to you like that. And I honestly don’t know what I’d do when it came time for you to get up and do that same thing again, knowing you got hurt the last time.” Ashlyn paused to get her emotions under control and squeezed her love extra tight.

“Can’t...breathe” Ali wheezed out.

“Oh, sorry, again” the keeper said miserably as she loosened her tight squeeze and sighed heavily. “I don’t know how you do it baby. I really don’t. And you never said a word about it to me. You’re so fucking strong” the blonde’s voice was an emotional whisper. “I love you so much.”

Ali sat up and wiped the tears off of her face while the keeper rested her hand on the brunette’s thigh, rubbing it gently. 

“I can handle it. But don’t you dare turn my worry and fear into some stupid bet or joke” Ali said finally, her voice strong and clear. 

“I won’t, I get it now. I’m so so sorry.”

“You made me cry you big jerk” the brunette said as she finished wiping her tears away. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly as she regained her composure. 

“I am a big jerk” the blonde said sincerely. “And if you still want to know the answer I’ll tell you.” She looked up bashfully into cinnamon eyes, still red from crying.

Ali took her hand again and brought it up to her lips and kissed it. She put it back on her thigh, continuing to hold it.

“Are you nervous?”

“I’ve thought about it a couple of times this week but not too much. I guess it was a blessing in disguise that I was so busy” she grinned sheepishly. “I’m not really nervous but I think I’ll have a moment or two before the game, probably in the locker room or on the bus, where I feel the anxiety. But I’m counting on all my years of experience to get me through it. I’m just going to trust the game and the pitch and my instincts and then I know it’ll be fine.”

“That’s a pretty good pep talk right there Harris” Ali said sweetly as she leaned over and kissed her cheek. “I’ll keep that in mind if you decide to go off your line again and chase down a loose ball” she chuckled.

They kissed for a couple of minutes and held each other, thankful for the past twelve hours of intimacy that they so desperately needed.

The conversation ran through the back of Ali’s mind Sunday night as she held her breath and watched the love of her life about to get the shit kicked out of her again.

“Fuck you Carli” she said to her laptop. “Don’t you dare hurt her!”

The keeper got to the ball first and collected it in a neat body roll. Carli veered off at the last second and tripped over Ashlyn’s hip as the keeper started her body roll, tumbling to the grass. Kealia Ohai had been sprinting in from the flank and narrowly missed Ashlyn as well. Megan Oyster pushed Carli back down to the ground as soon as she stood back up, the feisty defender standing over the USWNT captain. Angela Salem, the holding mid for that match, shoved Ohai away from the keeper too. When the Dash’s Rachel Daly came over to protest the push against Ohai, second-year defender Christen Westphal bodied her up and walked her, with a little help from Kristie Mewis, all the way up to midfield. Morgan Brian started to walk towards the trouble but Whitney just stepped in front of her and shook her head. The whole Breakers team was back, defending their keeper. When Ashlyn finally lifted her head up, a minute after the minor collision with Carli Lloyd, she couldn’t help but grin. She quickly worked her face into a fiery glare but inwardly she was so proud of her team. That’s what a team did. That’s what a family did. 

As the ref doled out the yellow cards to Oyster, Salem, Daly and Westphal, Ashlyn gave a thumbs up right to the camera and winked. She hoped Ali would know the gesture was for her. Back in Gloucester, the brunette smiled and sent a text to her fiancée. Ashlyn smiled broadly as she read it after the game.

Aliebe: Trying to give me a heart attack? Thanks for the signal. Such a stud. <3

//

The Breakers started the season on a winning streak, going 3-0 for 9 points and still holding the top spot in the table. They went on to win the game in Houston. The defense of Ashlyn proved to be a galvanizing moment for the entire team. Some of the veterans and the coaches knew they could build off of that. Ashlyn and Whitney talked about how it showed the team had grit and guts. The team wasn’t playing great soccer yet, but they were playing good defense and scoring the goals they needed to secure the wins. They followed the win in Houston with a win at home the next week against Sky Blue and everybody was getting excited about the team’s potential. And just when the team was starting to believe some of the good things written and said about them, they lost their next game to Sky Blue in New Jersey. Sky Blue was their rivalry team for 2017 because the Western NY Flash had been sold and moved to North Carolina. They were now the North Carolina Courage and would be rivals with the Washington Spirit. Each team played their rivalry team four times during the season. The coach was secretly happy about the opportunity to coach his team hard about believing anything the outside world said about them. Don’t believe the good or the bad. Just work within the team and your teammates and captain and coach will let you know how you’re doing.

//

They had missed it the previous two years so Ali was determined to visit the Gardner Museum this year while the nasturtiums were on display. The hanging nasturtium vines were only in bloom for about three weeks in April so scheduling could be tough for the busy couple. The last week of April, before the win against Sky Blue at home, Ali picked the blonde up after training one afternoon. She couldn’t wait to see Ashlyn’s face when she saw the extra-beautiful courtyard. She wouldn’t be able to hide their destination but she would hide the reason until they were standing in the fragrant space looking up and breathing deep. They would only have about an hour before the museum closed once they got there but the brunette thought it was worth it, just for the nasturtiums.

“You know I trust you, but I don’t get why I have to close my eyes Al. I’ve been here before, remember?”

“Just keep them closed babe and quit whining” Ali giggled as she led the blonde into the courtyard and over to one of the stone benches under the arches that surrounded it. “You’ll be able to see better if you sit” she directed and sat next to her compliant girl. “Ok, you can open your eyes.”

Ashlyn’s eyelids fluttered open and tried to focus. She appreciated the now familiar sculptures and greenery that made up the base of the courtyard ‘display’. The gardeners did a wonderful job of cultivating all sorts of different, colorful flowers all year long, but they really looked forward to each Spring when their choices multiplied exponentially. The keeper squinted and looked higher, gasping when she was able to take in the gorgeous nasturtium vines.

“Oh wow...that’s amazing” she breathed out, mouth slightly open in wonder.

Ali held her hand and leaned over and kissed her shoulder, smiling into it as she did.

“Isabella started this tradition herself” she explained as Ashlyn gazed up and around the courtyard, taking everything in. “Some people say it was because they were her favorite flower but others say it was more about the vibrant orange color. Either way, she started hanging these huge nasturtium vines the week before Easter and they stay up for three or four weeks.”

“How do they even grow these? They’re huge.”

“I know” Ali smiled, still thrilled that Ashlyn loved this place too. “They have greenhouses for everything they grow here and these big twenty foot vines take up a lot of space there. I read in the brochure once that it takes ten people to hang each bunch of vines.”

The courtyard was surrounded by a four-story building with large open windows that overlooked the greenspace below. The nasturtium vines were clumped together in bunches so the vines hung down in thick groupings from the third floor open windows. They were usually about twenty feet long so they hung all the way down to the bottom of the second floor windows. There were four or five big clumps on each of the long side walls of the courtyard and two on each end. They filled in with shorter vines, maybe three or four feet long, between the big huge groupings so there was bright orange all around the walls.

“Some people say she did this for her birthday, which is in April sometime, I forget exactly which day.”

“Ali, this is so beautiful” the keeper enthused, still not taking her eyes off of the colorful display. “I already thought this place was gorgeous but this...just wow.”

“Do you like it?” Ali asked, suddenly shy about the place she loved so much.

Ashlyn turned on the bench to look at her fiancée for the first time since they entered the courtyard.

“Honey, I love it” the blonde said as she took both of Ali’s hands in hers. “Thank you so much for bringing me here to see them. I know our schedules have been tough...”

Ali leaned forward and kissed the keeper’s lips, interrupting her and letting their lips linger for a long few minutes. Ashlyn appreciated the spontaneous moment. For some reason she had been thinking a lot about the brunette’s past with Emily and how big a deal public affection could be for her. 

“I love you Alexandra Krieger.”

“Whoa, the whole name. What gives?” Ali asked with a chuckle and sideways glance.

“I just love you a lot” she answered with a small shrug. “And I love that you show me beautiful places like this.” 

//

The team had a week off after the loss to Sky Blue. It was a little early in the season for a bye week but nobody ever complained about a week off. It was early May and New England was starting to really feel like Spring. April had been cold and raw but as soon as the calendar changed to May the temperature went up and the sun came out like magic. Their week off the second week of May started with a Sunday birthday brunch for Sydney and ended with the puppies’ graduation from puppy school the next Saturday. In between, Ali and Ashlyn spent as much time together as possible. Whitney went to Western New York to spend the week with Ryan so they had the house to themselves. But their special bubble time wasn’t the same now that there were two curious, energetic, six month old puppies in the house.

“I know but I feel so guilty doing it” Ashlyn whined as they climbed up the back stairs early Tuesday evening.

“Well if it’s going to bother you that much then this isn’t going to be very much fun” Ali replied with a frown. “Maybe we just shouldn’t do it.”

“But I really want to” she whined again and hugged the brunette when they got to their bedroom.

“The whining isn’t really doing it for me” Ali said honestly. “I’m sorry to sound like a jerk, but maybe this isn’t a good idea.”

The puppies being in the bedroom for sex was an ongoing problem for the couple. Ali didn’t really care one way or the other. It was a drag if the puppies woke up or didn’t go to sleep because then they wanted to play and whined for attention. But she didn’t care if they were in the room while they had sex. Her philosophy was that it was part of the puppies’ environment and they would learn to deal with it, which they had, for the most part. But if they woke up and starting crying for attention it killed Ashlyn. She would get so distracted and concerned that it ruined the mood. One solution was to just leave them in their crates in the mudroom overnight instead of bringing them up to their crates in the bedroom each night. Unfortunately, they had made that solution more difficult than it had to be by starting the puppies on a nighttime routine in the bedroom. If they had just kept them downstairs overnight in the first place there would never have been a problem to begin with. Both women understood that dogs liked to be with their people and they didn’t want to cause them undue anxiety. Hence the problem. What they wanted to take advantage of during this week off when no-one else was around was sex not at night.

“No, you’re right. You’re absolutely right” Ashlyn said and straightened up in Ali’s arms. “I’m sorry.”

“Look, if we were both out right now, you know, living life, they’d be in their crates. Happy as clams.” Ali sat on the bed and leaned back on her hands. “They’ve been out of the crates all day, right?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“I know you feel bad babe, but I really don’t know what to tell you except I’m getting frustrated. You feel bad when we have sex at night with them in the room. Now you feel bad leaving them in their crates so we can have sex before bedtime.” She shook her head. “I’m about ready to make you choose” she chuckled, but she was nervous because she really wasn’t positive the blonde would pick her.

Ashlyn loved those puppies like Ali had never seen anybody love anything. As adorable as the keeper was with little kids, she was even cuter with the puppies. Normally, really in every regard except the sex one, Ali loved watching her girl interact with Fred and Persey. Ashlyn’s face was something else when she contorted it into all the goofy expressions she made to talk and play with the pups. The puppy trainer at class had to be very firm with the blonde because she was such a softie. The older woman had to tell Ashlyn repeatedly that the cute sing-songy voice wouldn’t work if she wanted the dogs to follow any of her commands. It had been hard for Ashlyn, but she had gotten better each week at using a ‘normal’ voice with the puppies when she was giving them commands. And the brunette could see the stress and anxiety wash off of the keeper whenever she was with the pups. It was really sweet to witness. 

“Why the hell is this so hard for us?” Ashlyn asked, exasperated. “What does the rest of the world do? Are we the only ones who have this problem?”

She sat next to Ali on the bed and sighed, leaning forward and resting her elbows on her knees. The brunette sat up straight and rubbed the keeper’s back for a few minutes, neither woman speaking.

“Honey...” the brunette started, but Ashlyn turned quickly to face her.

“It’s kids!” she said excitedly, a smile spreading across her face. “Where did your dog sleep when you were a kid?” she asked, eagerly.

“Ummm, on Kyle’s bed usually, or with me...”

“Exactly! That’s where our dogs slept too, you know, after we got to Gram’s. They always slept with me.” Ashlyn had turned sideways on the bed and taken both of Ali’s hands. “Once we have kids it won’t be a problem anymore. They also won’t be puppies anymore, but mostly because they’ll sleep with the kids!”

Ashlyn looked like she had discovered the cure for cancer but Ali was just confused.

“That’s great babe, but we don’t have kids. And they’re still puppies” she replied, shaking her head with an amused smile.

“Yeah, but that’s the answer Al” she was still excited and had a big grin on her face.

“Then I guess I don’t understand the question” the brunette shook her head again and chuckled.

“Oh, yeah, sorry” Ashlyn said as she took a deep breath and exhaled. “I’ve been sitting here trying to decide if I can have a dog or not...”

“Wait, what?”

“You’re right, it’s ridiculous that I can’t have sex with my fiancée without worrying about the dogs. And I’m not giving you up, so the dogs have to go. And I really had to think about that.”

“Ashlyn, I’m not asking you to get rid of the puppies. I don’t want that. I love them too.”

“No, I know you weren’t asking that” Ashlyn shook her head, frustrated that she wasn’t able to get her words out so they made sense.

Ali leaned forward and brought their lips together in a slow, soft kiss, hoping it would settle the frazzled keeper down.

“Tell me.”

“Ok. Now that I know the dogs will sleep with the kids, eventually, I know I can do it. The idea that they sleep downstairs all by themselves for their whole life was too much for me. It doesn’t seem fair. But knowing it’s temporary...”

“Oh my God you’re too much” Ali said and kissed her quickly before pulling her into a hug. “You just can’t wait for me to get pregnant, can you?”

“You’re not wrong, but that’s not really what I was working out in my head” the keeper said and giggled as she kissed Ali’s neck. She sat up again and got serious. “I know it seems silly. I hear the words coming out of my mouth and I know I sound like an idiot. But I just feel bad when I hear them crying. I can’t help it and I’m sorry sweetheart.” She kissed Ali’s hands and looked into her chocolate eyes again. “Thank you for being so patient with me. You are always so amazingly patient while I figure my shit out Al.”

“Let’s not make a whole bunch of big permanent decisions ok? Let’s just see how it goes. They’re not waking up as much when we have sex anymore so maybe they’re getting used to it and then the whole problem is solved. And if they do wake up, then maybe we put them downstairs for the rest of the night. But it’s your call because...”

“Because I’m the weirdo who can’t deal with it. Got it” she nodded and smiled sheepishly at her beautiful brunette.

“I wouldn’t have said it that way honey” Ali replied with a sweet smile. “It’s that big heart of yours again. That’s all. I love it so much, but I understand now that we’re going to face some challenges because of it.”

Ashlyn looked down sadly but the brunette lifted her chin with her fingers.

“No, don’t do that. You should be proud of your big heart. I know I am. And we’ll handle whatever the challenges are, I don’t doubt that for a second. We’re a team, right?”

Ashlyn’s eyes started to fill with tears as she bit her lip and nodded her head, chin still in her fiancée’s hand.

“Good, because I don’t want to do any of this without you Ash. Not puppies, not the company, not this house, not kids. None of that matters without you and your big heart.”

//

It was later that week when they discovered another seemingly insurmountable problem. They were lying together on the mattress in front of the dining room fireplace, dining room table pushed to the other side of the room to make space. There was a small fire going despite the almost 60 degree temperature outside.

“I can’t believe we finally finished one of your ridiculous challenges” Ali panted out as she recovered from the orgasm the keeper had just given her. “Hallefuckinglujah!”

Ashlyn laughed from between the brunette’s legs, still licking the tops of her thick thighs clean.

“Ridiculous? Really? I’m hurt” she feigned injured feelings and gave her fiancée one last lick. “God you taste good.” Ashlyn lingered one more minute before climbing up and lying on top of the brunette, dragging their mounds together and making Ali shudder. “Why can’t we get wedding cake that tastes like you? That’s a genius fucking idea right there.”

Ali laughed her short, sharp, shout of a laugh and smiled as her keeper brought their lips together in a deep kiss.

“I’m gonna let you think about how wrong that is and pretend I never heard it” she giggled after the kiss.

“I’m so excited to marry you” Ashlyn said sincerely, holding her face inches above the brunette’s so she could see how serious she was. “I’ve never been more excited about anything in my whole life.”

“Me too. I just wish it would hurry up and get here. I can’t wait to be Mrs. Harris.”

Ashlyn stopped kissing her neck and moved her face back in front of the brunette’s again.

“Ummm, I thought I’d be Mrs. Krieger.”

They looked at each other and knew instantly that they were both very serious about their expectations.

“Oh” Ali started with a surprised look on her face. “God, I never thought about that. For five months I’ve just planned on being Mrs. Harris. Why don’t you want me to take your name?” she asked, voice questioning but not accusatory.

“Hell, I just assumed I would take your name princess. I’ve never even thought about you taking mine. Not that I have a problem with it. I mean, it would be an honor for you to take my name. I just never saw it happening like that.”

They looked at each other with the same dumbfounded looks on their faces.

“Well I’d really like to take your name, if that’s ok” Ali said evenly.

“Sure it’s ok, except that I’d really like to be Mrs. Krieger.”

They talked through several reasons why each of them should get their way on the matter. The key sticking points always came back to the fact that neither of them wanted to make the other lose their own name. Hyphenated Krieger-Harris or Harris-Krieger didn’t work for either of them.

“What if one of our kids marries somebody else with a hyphenated last name? It’s just chaos waiting to happen” Ashlyn had complained.

“It sounds too much like ‘Knight-Harris’ anyway” Ali offered. “I don’t want to sound like a corporation.”

“Chris and Beth are already pregnant” the keeper argued. “There will be little Harrises running around for the next generation to carry on the name. But we need to carry on the Krieger name, especially up here. There has to be another generation of Kriegers up here on the North Shore.”

“You can’t change your name anyway babe, not after all the work we’ve done getting people to recognize it” the brunette countered. “We should all just be Harrises with you.” 

They spent almost a whole hour talking it through and finally agreed to just keep thinking about it once it was obvious that neither of them was going to budge. They worked their way past it temporarily but it bothered both women. It was the first real, immovable obstacle that they had come across in their relationship. They had each learned to give in when they recognized that the other had dug her heels in on a specific issue that had come up. Ashlyn gave in far more often than Ali did, but only because there were fewer issues that the keeper really cared enough about to make a fuss. This married name dilemma was serious and they had both made their strong opinions known. What the hell were they going to do?


	13. Sick Ali, Endgame Ryan and a Sugar Daddy

The month of May sped past them and before they knew it they were looking at a very hectic June. May had brought them three more Breakers games, one win, one draw and one loss which made their record 4-2-1 for the season so far. They were tied for second place in the table and ecstatic about it. They had beaten Chicago at home for their first game after their week off. Sometimes an athlete just had a certain team that they always played well against. It was hard to figure out exactly why, nearly impossible in fact. Chicago was that team for Ashlyn. She played a tremendous game and was named player of the match after making eleven saves and blocking Sofia Huerta’s penalty kick. The joke around the team was that the new grass fields in Boston were making Ashlyn even better. It was all because of the grass.

They played to a draw against a much improved Kansas City team since last season. Two of their best strikers who were out last year having babies came back and looked to be in fine form. And the loss was back at home against Portland. That team was just too good. For any of the NWSL teams to beat the Thorns two things had to happen. The Thorns had to play a bad game and the other team had to play their very best game.

The team dinners were all fully attended and had developed their own sort of rhythm over the first few weeks of the season. They would head up to the big old house after their afternoon training on Wednesday, eat an early, but big and delicious, dinner, then do some sort of activity together. Sometimes they watched a movie, with a penalty for falling asleep, sometimes they played a game, charades was a popular choice, sometimes they just hung out and talked about issues and concerns and other times they walked down to the beach. Whitney and Ashlyn had decided that they wanted to let popular votes determine a lot of the team activities to help reinforce the idea that they all mattered. If there was a tie or some other disagreement then Whitney just decided. She made sure to choose the less popular of the choices to encourage the team to work it out without her having to get involved at that level. So far, so good. The players were bonding better than ever before.

//

May had also seen the first big development at the big old house in quite a while. The fence had been installed in the backyard so the puppies could run around without leashes and enjoy a lot more freedom. The fence ran all along the length of the backyard, near the edge of the property, but not the extra lot next to the house. The backyard had been cleared decades ago and had grass growing in it. Between the grass and the back property line were about twenty feet of trees and shrubs and foresty undergrowth. Woods. The fence came up behind the garage and connected to the back right corner of it along the right side of the property. The fence ran up along the left side of the property too, with a break for the large granite boulder that was mostly on the extra lot but stuck into the backyard of the house a few feet. If one of the dogs could scale that, it was easily twelve feet high with a steep face at the backyard side, then they deserved a little exploration break. The left side fence extended up to the main part of the house, the big square section with the mansard roof. It connected to the house at the back left corner of the dining room, right next to the bulkhead into the basement. The only tricky place had been between the garage and the house on the right side. They didn’t want to obstruct the garage or the driveway so they put a short ‘L’shaped section of fence that connected the front left corner of the garage to the back right corner of the kitchen. There were three different gates. One in the ‘L’ shaped section at the front of the garage which was the one they used most often. Then, another one on the left side so you could walk into the extra lot if you chose to do so. And then one along the front fence line on the left side of the house, extra wide in case they needed to get some large piece of landscaping equipment in there at some point in the future, near the bulkhead. It was exciting for the women as well as the puppies. The only door in the house that opened directly into the fenced in yard was the side door near the nook, on the left side of the house. This was the door they had covered up with the Christmas tree in December. They had trained the pups to go to the mudroom door when they wanted to go to the bathroom so that was still the most common exit for them. They just walked them the forty feet to the gate by the corner of the kitchen and then took their leashes off. When they were older it would be easy to start using the new family room door if they wanted to. But they didn’t want to confuse the puppies while they were still young and learning so many new things.

The big debate, of course, had been over what kind of fence to get. They were expensive as hell. Ashlyn was shocked when she got the estimates back for the different options they had been considering. Their yard required a lot of fence too, further driving up the cost. After driving around and looking at a lot of different fences in a lot of different places they agreed to go with a black chain-link fence. It wasn’t nearly as expensive as the privacy fences or wooden fences but it still looked nice. The black made it virtually disappear as you looked at it from a distance. It didn’t stand out like the typical grey aluminum chain-link fence you were used to seeing. Once it had been installed they both liked it a lot more than they expected. 

Before they put the fence up Ashlyn had gone and talked with the neighbors that it would impact. It was the grown-up, mature thing to do. Their next door neighbors, the Donaldsons, couldn’t have been nicer about it. The fence barely impacted them at all because most of it was on the other side of the house and along the back. They thanked the keeper for her courtesy and invited she and Ali over for dinner sometime soon. Ashlyn accepted the invitation and exchanged phone numbers with them so they could schedule it. The backyard neighbors had never even been seen because they also had some trees between the edge of their property and their backyard. To be thorough, Ashlyn had talked to the backyard neighbors at the corner of the property line as well, the folks who lived behind the Donaldsons. Both the Vitranos, at the corner of the fence, and the Woods’, directly behind the big old house, were nice enough. They honestly didn’t seem to care one way or the other about Ashlyn or the fence. But the blonde had done her due diligence and had no qualms about having the fence installed ASAP.

//

The plans for the wedding were progressing too. The invitations had arrived and would be completed and mailed out in early June. They had finally chosen a caterer with the guidance of the wedding planner from the Hammond Castle. The only loose end food-wise was the wedding cake. They knew what they wanted it to look like but they hadn’t been able to decide on what it should taste like. Well, aside from Ashlyn’s desire to have it taste like her fiancée, which they had obviously kept to themselves. But when they met with the wedding cake specialist to try out all of the different types and flavors of cake, they could not stop giggling. They tried to behave and Ali was mortified the first time Ashlyn leaned over and whispered what she was remembering in her ear. The brunette had given the keeper a stern look and a challenging tilt of the head. But the longer they were there the harder it became to keep a straight face. Ali was the one who had started giggling, surprising even Ashlyn as they settled in with the baker to taste the first few choices. Once she saw the slight blush on Ali’s face, the blonde knew exactly what was happening and couldn’t help giggling along with her. Needless to say, it had been a long appointment. By the time they left neither of them really cared what the cake tasted like anymore. They had chosen one of their top three options and decided they were going to be ok with it, regardless of any second thoughts that were bound to come later.

“Now I know what I’m going to do after my soccer career is over” Ashlyn said seriously as they drove home, full of cake.

“Oh geez, I’m afraid to ask” Ali giggled and squeezed her hand from the passenger seat.

“There’s gotta be a huge demand for pussy-flavored wedding cake, right?” she teased as she drove. “I mean, people just aren’t asking for it now because they don’t realize it’s an option.”

Ali laughed out loud. “Ok Martha Stewart” she giggled and rolled her eyes. “There’s a reason it’s not an option.”

“Well we’ll just have to get people to expand their minds and learn to appreciate this exciting new opportunity” the keeper spouted enthusiastically.

Ali laughed again at how ridiculous her fiancée could be.

“Before you go down that path please take a few minutes and picture your father and Chris and Gram eating that cake you’re all excited about.”

“Oh” the blonde made a sour face, “that’s just nasty Ali. Why would you do that to me?” She shook her head from side to side, literally trying to shake the images from it. “That’s not right.”

“Exactly” the brunette chuckled and rolled her eyes with a playful grin. “So let’s not talk about it again ok? It’s going to take all my willpower to get that out of my head so I can actually enjoy my wedding cake in August.”

//

The other thing that May brought was Ali’s first sickness since the terrible flu she had suffered through over a year before. It was the day of Ashlyn’s big Chicago game and Niki and Molly had brought Noah up for Sunday brunch and a visit with the puppies. As always, Ali spent a lot of time snuggling with and holding the little boy as they played and rolled around together on the floor with Persey and Fred. It wasn’t until the next day that she started to feel it. Ali was lethargic and her head felt full and heavy and her ears were ringing a little bit. She thought it was just because she was working hard and was overtired. Monday night when Molly called to tell them to be careful because she had just returned from taking Noah to the doctor because he was really sick, the brunette knew. 

“Oh fuck” the brunette said after Ashlyn had relayed the news to both she and Whitney in the living room.

“What?” Ashlyn asked, looking at her girl curiously. “I’m sure he’ll be ok. They’ve got him on antibiotics and...”

“You both better wash your hands and stay away from me. I’m getting whatever Noah has.”

“Oh fuck” Ashlyn said, voice full of concern and worry.

The flu that May wasn’t as bad as the one from the previous year. Ali had gotten up off the couch and grabbed a disinfecting wipe and used it all over the kitchen, cleaning every drawer pull, cupboard handle, light switch and stove knob there was. The whole house needed to be done so the two athletes didn’t catch it but, as she finished the kitchen Ashlyn came up behind her and took the wipe from her hand and threw it away.

“You’re going to bed, right now” she kissed her neck and patted her on the butt as the brunette slowly climbed the back stairs without putting up a fight. “I’ll disinfect everything, you just get yourself nice and cozy.”

“Do it now babe, I don’t want you guys getting sick because of me” Ali called out weakly from the top of the stairs. “Please.”

“I’m on it honey, I promise.”

The fever took over in the middle of the night and finally broke Wednesday mid-morning. Ashlyn was so proud of herself for saving the notes she had taken the year before when Sydney had come to her rescue. And, just like last year, all of the medicine Ali needed had expired since her last bout with the flu. Even though she felt better prepared and wasn’t scared this time, it was still a lot of work taking care of her beautiful brunette. She wouldn’t trade it for anything and she didn’t complain, but she was exhausted Tuesday night when she got into bed and set the alarm for two hours so she could wake Ali up and make sure she stayed hydrated. 

Whitney couldn’t believe how sick the brunette got so fast. She had heard the horror story from the previous year. At the time, she had never heard or seen Ashlyn so frightened before. This time the keeper seemed much more calm about it. Whitney watched her best friend do load after load of laundry, trying to keep the sheets and towels clean for her fiancée. She watched her carry cups, glasses, bowls of soup, plates of food and lots of different medicines up and back down the stairs for three days straight. The defender had been told to keep her distance so she wouldn’t get sick. And she admired Ashlyn for being smart enough to dose up on Echinacea and other things to try and protect herself while she was in the direct line of fire. On Thursday afternoon, as they drove home from training, Whitney told the keeper how impressed she was with her care-giving skills.

“Thanks Whit” Ashlyn shrugged shyly, keenly aware that the defender had known her to be much less considerate and thoughtful in her youth. “I’d do anything to make her feel better. It’s amazing what love lets you do.”

“That’s so true” Whitney agreed with a grin.

“You’d do the same for Ryan though, right?”

“Absolutely. And he’s done the same for me. Last Christmas when I was sick he stayed home with me just so I wouldn’t be alone. I mean, I wasn’t dying or anything, but he never even let me argue with him about it.”

“He’s awesome” Ashlyn smiled. “You were going to his parents’ house too right?” 

“Yeah, he’s just so good to me Ash.”

“It used to drive me nuts when people would ask me all the time and I can’t believe I’m about to do the same thing, but why hasn’t he put a ring on it?” the keeper glanced at her best friend and then brought her eyes back to the road. “You guys are endgame, right?”

Whitney sighed and looked out the window for a minute before replying.

“He’s definitely endgame for me. And I’m pretty sure he feels the same. But he’s kind of old-fashioned. I think he wants to have a secure job and a house before he proposes.”

“Or maybe until you guys are at least living in the same metropolitan area?”

“Yes. That’s another big one. We’ve talked about that. What’s the point of getting married if we never freaking see each other?” the frustration was evident in the defender’s voice.

“Can I tell you a secret?” Ashlyn asked seriously.

“You’d better.”

“Dirty truth?”

“Always.”

“I felt so much better after we got engaged. I can’t explain it Whit. It was fucking amazing. We both knew we wanted to get married and we had talked about it. Ali always makes me talk about stuff” she rolled her eyes and shook her head but the grin on her face told the defender that she really didn’t mind. “But having the ring on my finger felt so much more concrete and real. I felt safe and secure like never before. And that’s saying something because she’s always made me feel both those things.” Ashlyn’s voice broke a little bit at the end as she struggled to keep the powerful emotions under control. “I’m just saying, there’s no time frame for engagements. You can get engaged and then not get married for a few years. But that commitment, that promise...it’s fucking awesome.”

That evening as they all sat in the living room together for the first time since Monday, Whitney looked over at the happy couple and thought about what Ashlyn had confided in her. She would have to talk to Ryan about it, but she wanted that feeling, that security. Maybe she could convince him that a long engagement was old-fashioned too. 

Ali was still pretty sick, but starting to feel like a human being again. She had the stuffed up head and aches and pains and runny nose, but her sore throat was almost gone. She felt light-headed and a little loopy, as if she hadn’t eaten much real food that week. Ashlyn sat at the end of the couch with her feet up on the coffee table and Ali attached to her right side, under her arm. It was the brunette’s first foray out of the master bedroom since Monday. She just wanted to change the air in her head and look at some different walls for a little while. She was still on medication and pretty out of it. Whitney smiled again as she watched them from her spot on the other side of the couch, a puppy on each side of her. She took a quick picture and grinned when the keeper winked at her. 

Ali was oblivious to the picture and the defender and the game on the television. She just seemed to be snuggling into the blonde, pressing kisses into her neck and moving her hand across Ashlyn’s chest. Whitney noted that it was pretty forward behavior for the usually subtle and private brunette. As the defender remembered back to a story Ashlyn had told her the year before, she saw Ali climb on top of the keeper, straddling her lap, and kissing her deeply with her hands moving all over the blonde’s breasts. Whitney’s eyes went wide and Ashlyn blushed, trying to get Ali to remember that they weren’t alone. Whitney chuckled and started to get up to leave the room but Ashlyn stopped her.

“No, don’t go Whit” Ashlyn said quickly, grinning shyly. “I think somebody’s still pretty sick. I’ll put her back to bed. You stay with the babies.”

It took her a few minutes but the keeper finally untangled herself from the sick and horny brunette. She walked carefully towards the back stairs with Ali wrapped around her from behind, pressing kisses into her back and groping at her breasts, one arm wrapped tightly around her waist. Ashlyn barely got the door shut behind them before the brunette was on her, pulling at her clothes and kissing her deeply. The keeper had wondered if her fiancée’s horny sick person thing from last year had been a fluke. Maybe it had only happened because their relationship was still so exciting and new. Ashlyn had wondered but not been able to make any determinations because Ali hadn’t been sick again since then. As she lay there, clothes half stripped off, with a completely naked and sick Ali Krieger grinding on top of her, she was pretty sure she had her answer.

Ali was indeed still a horndog when she was sick. As soon as her medicine wore off and she woke up a little bit she wanted sex. Ashlyn could practically time it out. They had sex that night and then again in the morning before Ashlyn had to leave for training. Friday afternoon after training, Ali surprised her in the shower for more sex and then woke her up in the middle of the night again for yet another round. Ashlyn loved every minute of it. She would never ever complain about having sex with Ali. Sure, the brunette wasn’t feeling or performing her best, her stamina was definitely lacking and Ashlyn had to finish herself off a couple of times, but she didn’t care. When Ali realized on Saturday morning that the Breakers had to fly to Kansas City later that afternoon for their away game she had cried in Ashlyn’s arms.

“It’s just two nights honey” Ashlyn soothed as she held her in their bed. “And Syd’s going to check on you while I’m gone.”

Ali was feeling much better by Saturday. She was just tired from being so sick and over-exerting herself. All she needed was to feed herself well and get lots of rest and she’d be better in a day or two. If Ashlyn had been worried she would have made arrangements for Sydney to come and stay or Ali’s dad to check on her or something. Ali had to take care of herself as well as the puppies from Saturday at 5pm to Monday at noon. Ashlyn knew she could do it.

“Oh she doesn’t need to, I’m really feeling much better” Ali said as she sniffled and wiped her tears away. “I’m just tired now. I’ll be fine babe.” She kissed her keeper sweetly and nuzzled into her neck. “I just don’t want you to go. I never want you to go. You’re always leaving me and I hate it” she whimpered against Ashlyn’s neck. “And yes I know I sound like a brat.”

“I hate leaving you too sweetheart, especially when you’re sick. But we’re so lucky. Every time I start to feel sorry for myself I look at poor Whit and remember just how lucky we really are.”

//

The Breakers had four games in June. The first two were during the first two weeks, then they had another week off, then two more games the last two weeks of the month. The first game was against the Spirit in Washington DC. Ashlyn flew down early Saturday, ahead of the team so she could spend time with Meg. She had also asked Hannah to set up a meeting with Dev and she really hoped it would happen. Joanna Lohman picked her up at the airport and dropped her off at Hannah’s apartment for the day. 

“Hey Meggie!” Ashlyn said as her favorite little redhead ran towards her once she stepped inside the apartment.

Ashlyn had been terrified that the now five year old would be shy around her because they hadn’t visited since Halloween. There had been a moment of hesitation but then the little girl’s face had burst into a huge smile as she ran to the keeper. Ashlyn picked her up in a hug and twirled her around a few times, both of them giggling and laughing. The three talked and played in Hannah’s living room until lunchtime and then Ashlyn took Meg out to lunch and to the aquarium, still the little girl’s favorite place to go with the blonde. They talked about Meg’s school and her friends and her dolls and her basketball team. The keeper told her about some of the things the puppies had been doing as they were growing up. They even Facetimed Ali so they could see what the puppies were doing at that exact moment. Ali stopped what she was doing and took the puppies outside in the backyard so Meg could see them play with each other. It was really just the cutest thing you could ever see. They rolled around with each other, pawing and nipping at one another all in good fun. Meg was fascinated with the sounds the puppies made as they played together. The little growls and yelps and tiny barks sounded just as adorable over Facetime as they did in person. Ali showed Meg some of the commands the puppies had learned and Meg squealed in delight when Persey gave the brunette her paw on command.

“I wanna do that with them” Meg said excitedly.

“Next time you come up to visit us we’ll teach you how to do it, how does that sound?” Ashlyn asked with a grin.

The more they talked about what was going on in her life, the easier it was for Ashlyn to see that Dev was good to her. He didn’t sound like the most hands-on guy but he took care of the things she needed and took she and Hannah to see things and places that they were interested in. He didn’t just drag them along to wherever he needed to go. As much as Ashlyn wanted to dislike the guy, she really didn’t have any reason to. Well, aside from the fact that Hannah said he didn’t like her seeing Meg. But the blonde wanted to talk to him about that face to face tomorrow at lunch. When they got back to Hannah’s apartment that evening, just in time for a bath and bedtime, the redhead confirmed their lunch plans for the next day. Ashlyn couldn’t stay long, even though she had questions she wanted to ask Hannah. She had to get back to the team hotel before curfew at 10pm.

“Hi, I’m Ashlyn. It’s nice to meet you” the keeper said as she shook Dev’s hand in the entrance area of the kid-friendly restaurant near her hotel. 

“Ashyun!” Meg said loudly as she ran and hugged the keeper’s leg tightly.

“Hi Meggie” Ashlyn said, giving the little girl her attention. “Your smile sure is beautiful.”

She had read several articles about how we talk to the little girls in our lives and how we set them up for failure from a very young age by focusing almost entirely on how they look or what they’re wearing. It was a difficult adjustment because Meg looked adorable in her pretty yellow dress and Ashlyn really wanted to tell her so. She would, just later, when they were talking about clothes or something more organic.

“Thanks. Yours too” the girl grinned up at the blonde.

When Ashlyn looked back up to finish greeting Dev he had already turned towards the hostess stand to find out about their reservation. She looked at Hannah who just shrugged and smiled, happy to see her daughter so happy. As they walked to their table Ashlyn took in the man who threatened so much of her own happiness. He was not quite six feet tall and he wore dress slacks, a polo shirt and a blazer. His short, dark hair was greying at the temples and his face was round and a little pudgy. He wasn’t fit or trim but he wasn’t overweight either. He looked like a normal 49 year old man. Well, rich person normal. He wore a very expensive watch and a thick gold necklace and rings. His dark eyes weren’t officially cold or beady, but almost. They were blank and expressionless and Ashlyn thought it was like a camouflage until he could assess his perceived enemy. Hannah and Meg both wore pretty dresses which was unusual in Ashlyn’s experience. For a lazy Sunday brunch they would normally be dressed in more casual clothes. But even Ashlyn had dressed up today so she couldn’t read too much into it. She wanted to make a good impression so she wore a nice pair of jeans with a crisp dress shirt and her own navy blue blazer. Her hair was down around her shoulders and she had worn her make-up to look professional and serious and mature. Her beautiful engagement ring danced in the sunlight of the entrance way and she saw Hannah’s eyes dart to it. Ashlyn hadn’t hugged Hannah hello today like she had yesterday. Something told her that Dev wouldn’t approve so she just nodded and smiled at Hannah. 

The restaurant was big and open with video games and coloring stations and mini skee-ball games spread around the middle of the room. The dining tables surrounded the games area so parents could eat and drink while still keeping their child in view. They sat down and ordered their food and then Meg wanted to show Ashlyn her favorite game before the food came. The blonde excused herself and let the toddler lead her by the hand to one of the skee-ball games. 

It wasn’t until after the meal, with Meg at the coloring station making a drawing for Ali, that they had a chance to talk. Ashlyn had cringed inwardly when Meg brought up Ali and the puppies during lunch. She just didn’t want to give Dev any more ammunition for anything. When Hannah had suggested that Meg go make a drawing for Ashlyn to take home with her Meg had replied that she would draw a picture for Ali instead.

“And who is this Ali person?” Dev asked, looking at Hannah.

His Indian accent was very recognizable but not too thick for Ashlyn to understand.

“She’s my fiancée. We’re getting married this August. Meg’s met her a few times” Ashlyn answered with a smile. “That’s one of the things I’d like to talk with you about.”

“I don’t understand why you want to talk to me?” he said to Ashlyn, finally looking at her.

Hannah put her hand on his back and rubbed it a few times before putting it back in her own lap.

“Ashlyn wants Meg to be her flower girl for the wedding” the redhead said to Dev softly. “Remember? I told you about this a few months ago gabroo.”

“Dev, look, I don’t really know any other way to do this than to just be honest with you.” The keeper took a deep breath as the older man watched her from the other side of the small table. “I respect you and your relationship with Hannah and with Meg. I don’t want to interfere with that in any way.”

Ashlyn paused for a minute, meeting his unreadable gaze with a warm friendly one, and continued once Dev slowly nodded.

“I love Meg a lot and she’s become a part of my life and I’ve become a part of hers and I’d really like that to continue. She’s very important to me and that’s why we’d like to include her in our wedding.”

Ashlyn relaxed a little bit, glad to have gotten through the short speech she had gone over in her head a million times. It was frustrating because the guy was just not a big talker. Not to her any way. She waited a few minutes, grinning and waving at Meg when she called out her name to show her how the picture was coming along, and then exchanged a nervous glance with Hannah.

“Oh, I almost forgot” she added hastily. “We’d like all three of you to come up for the wedding. I meant to say that earlier. It’s on a Friday and most people are staying for the weekend. We’re not going on a honeymoon until January so we’ll all just be hanging out at the beach and the house for the weekend. There are lots of hotels in Gloucester and Rockport. We’re reserving a whole block of rooms at the Atlantis, it’s less than a mile from the beach by my house. We can get you a discounted room there if you want. It’s a great place to vacation, you could stay for a whole week...”

Ashlyn knew she was rambling but she couldn’t stop herself. Now that she had said the words and made the request she was so excited and nervous she just couldn’t keep her mouth shut. And Dev’s silence was driving her mad. Meg called for Ashlyn again and, as much as she wanted to sit there and pressure him into giving her an answer right that minute, she couldn’t push the little girl off again. 

“I’ll be right back, please consider my request. It would really mean the world to me” she pleaded as she stood up and hesitantly walked over to the toddler.

Ashlyn didn’t get her answer until later that evening at the game because she had gotten distracted playing with Meg right up until it was time for her to go back to the hotel to change and go to the field with the team. It was just after warm-ups and Hannah had brought Meg down by the players’ entrance to wave to the keeper. But a wave wasn’t enough for Ashlyn. She walked over and told the security guard to let Hannah and Meg through for a minute and then walked them ten feet away so they had a little privacy. Whitney saw what was happening and hung back to talk to Meg so Ashlyn could talk to Hannah.

“So what did he say? I’ve never been so fucking nervous in my life” Ashlyn said quickly, eyes wide with anxious energy.

“He liked you a lot” Hannah said with a smile.

“He did?” Ashlyn asked, shocked.

“Yeah, he did. He didn’t say a lot about it but I can tell you what you did right for sure. You looked nice and he has a thing for blondes so your hair was perfect” she giggled. “Lucky for me the only thing he likes better than blondes are redheads.”

“Are you serious? He liked me because I looked pretty?”

“Yes, I’m just saying those were good things right off the bat. Then you gave him a firm handshake and were polite and respectful when you introduced yourself. Good manners mean a lot to him.”

“I could kill you Hannah” Ashlyn was really ticked off. “Why the fuck didn’t you tell me any of this before we met for lunch?!”

“Oh relax. I wasn’t worried about it because I knew you were always like that. I knew you wouldn’t mess that up. And then, when you talked with him you were straightforward and you said the words to his face ‘I respect you’. But I think what really did it for him was seeing you with her. I think he had a hard time understanding why some grown woman would want to hang around a five year old kid if they weren’t blood relatives. I think he finally understood that you two really love each other.”

“So is that a yes?” Ashlyn asked, the excitement evident on her dimpled, smiling face. “Can she be in the wedding?”

“Yes it’s a yes Ash.”

“Yessssss!” the blonde fist-pumped and let out a happy yell and then turned around to pick up Meg and twirl her around. 

The keeper had been guarding her heart so carefully when it came to having Meg be a part of her big day. She just didn’t want to be devastated again. To finally get the official answer to her prayer felt absolutely incredible. There was going to be so much love on her wedding day. And having sweet Meg there meant that there would be even more love to go around.


	14. Did Somebody Order Room Service?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut Warning

The Breakers won the game in DC and then they won the game against Kansas City at home the week after. That put them at 6-2-1 and still tied for second place in the table. 19 points. They had played 9 games and they already had 19 points. For a little perspective, they had finished the entire 20 game season last year 3-15-2, with a grand total of 11 points. The year before, in 2015, they had finished with 4-13-3 with a total of 15 points. This year they weren’t even halfway through the season and they had already outperformed both prior years. The players were so happy and it was becoming difficult to not get too excited about having a winning season. The coaches were quick to remind them that they had a long way to go still and that the wheels could fall off at any moment if they started to get too confident or cocky.

//

Wanting to capitalize on their progress from Beginner class, Ali and Ashlyn signed Persey and Fred up for the Intermediate puppy class that started in June. The beauty of the early Saturday morning class was that Ashlyn rarely had to miss one. It was before training if it was a home game and if she had to travel for an away game she usually didn’t leave until later in the day on Saturday. There were exceptions, of course. The Friday night game in North Carolina at the end of June meant she would miss the class, but that was the only one out of the six weeks so it wasn’t a huge deal. Ali had made either Sydney or her dad come with her when Ashlyn had missed a class previously. It wasn’t ideal, but neither was training two puppies in the middle of Ashlyn’s season.

“Do you think Persey is smarter than Fred?” Ashlyn asked, pausing to watch the puppies playing on the kitchen floor as she finished emptying the dishwasher.

“Aww, I think Fred is just as smart” Ali said with a frown from the small kitchen table where she was sitting, adding things to their shopping list.

They both stopped what they were doing to wonder at the puppies. Persey was systematically working a treat out of one end of a rubber bone. The toy was designed to encourage the puppy to find a way to free the treat from the bone and keep them a little busy at the same time. Persey had the treat almost halfway out. Fred, on the other hand, was walking in a slow circle trying to bite the end of his own tail.

“I don’t know hon, I think Persey’s the brains of the operation” Ashlyn chuckled as she walked behind Ali’s chair and put her hands on the brunette’s shoulders.

“Well Fred is a month younger, remember” Ali added, smiling as she watched the adorable pup finally catch his tail. “Maybe he’ll be able to figure out the treat bone next month.”

“Let’s hope” the keeper replied and kissed her fiancée on the top of her head before getting on her hands and knees and crawling towards Fred.

The caramel puppy caught sight of the blonde and wagged his whole body at her, ambling towards her to chew on her hands. She corrected him and grabbed his treat bone to let him chew on it instead of her. He got his front end down with his butt up in the air and started tugging with her, growling adorably. Persey, having just finished eating her treat, trotted over to join in the fun, jumping up with her front paws on Ashlyn’s back. Ali watched until she couldn’t resist the insane amount of cuteness any more. She got up, laughing as Ashlyn flopped onto her back with both puppies crawling all over her, and joined the literal dogpile.

“God I love our little family” she said as she helped untangle Fred’s teeth from Ashlyn’s hair, kissing her keeper’s lips when she was done.

//

During the Breakers off-week in June, Whitney went to visit Ryan again and Ashlyn tried to get all of her loose ends tied up for the wedding. She knew July was going to be a shitshow schedule-wise so she wanted to take advantage of the little bit of time off in June. The keeper wanted to finalize the gifts she was giving Whitney and Chris for being her maid of honor and best man. The keeper had decided on birthstone earrings for Whitney, yellow topaz for November. That was easy and she knew the defender would love the ones she picked out. Ashlyn had always loved the idea of an engraved flask but that didn’t seem appropriate for Chris anymore. She thought about getting it for him anyway. He could put whatever he wanted in it, right? But she changed her mind, deciding not to tempt fate. Frustrated by her lack of ideas one morning during the off-week, she had gone out to the garage to check on her surfboard and start to get some of her summer equipment cleaned up and out of winter storage. She went up the stairs to the second floor to see how everything looked. She was trying to lay the surfboard down flat and kept walking backwards towards the far corner. She caught her heel on something and fell on her butt with a thud and a yelp. It was one of the two boxes of junk that had been up there since she and Chris first came to look at the house after Grandma Lilian had died. 

When she looked behind her to see what she had tripped over she all of a sudden remembered seeing it back when she and George had looked at the garage to make sure it was safe and structurally sound. She had told herself at the time that she needed to go through that and then throw them both out once and for all. The keeper pulled one of the boxes over towards the middle of the loft space where there was better light and started to go through it. Old ‘National Geographic’ magazines, musty and mildewed, made up most of the box and explained why it was so heavy. There were a few metal vintage signs stuffed into the sides of the box, for soda and beer mostly. There was a small tin with a lid on it, probably for tobacco. When she opened it there was a deck of cards, worn and used but still, remarkably, in pretty good condition. The red, diamond patterned backs of the cards were faded from use but the sealed tin had kept them dry and safe over the years. Ashlyn raised her eyebrows in surprise and then laughed out loud when she turned the cards over to see naked pin-up girls on the playing sides. Grandpa John had nudie cards! It occurred to her that the box might have come from Grandpa’s old workbench. He used to keep it at the back of the garage, where Ali’s window samples were now. Grandma Lilian had sold it, the blonde was pretty sure that was how it went, several years after he had died. That box must have been things she had wanted to keep or things that the new workbench owner hadn’t wanted to take with them.

Her eyes moved to the corner where the other box still sat, bent in from the heavy, first box being stored on top of it for so many years. Ashlyn pulled it over to the light and started to look inside. She sucked in a breath when she moved a couple of old newspapers aside and saw some of Grandpa’s tools at the bottom of the box. Her eyes went wide as she saw an old awl, some chisels, a mallet, two different sized hammers, an adze, a couple of hand saws, a plane, some calipers, an old-fashioned wood ruler that you unfolded, and a sail iron. Something flashed in the light as she moved rusty old tools around inside the box, smiling as she smelled the familiar scent of her grandfather’s tool bench. She reached down and picked up Grandpa John’s pocket knife. It was silver, tarnished badly now, but that’s what had caught the light. Ashlyn ran her fingers over the smooth surface of one side, already eager to clean the nostalgic find. Her fingers caught on the initials ‘JEB’ for John Edward Burnham, her grandfather. As tears started to gather at the corner of her eye the blonde realized she had found the perfect gift for Chris. 

// 

Ashlyn had to go back to the Joseph Abboud factory to have her tux altered and adjusted that week too. She knew that Kyle and Chris would both honor her wishes for their suits so she didn’t have to worry about that. Well, ok, she was a little worried about Chris not getting his suit ready in time. She knew he had a nice, black suit already and that was partly why she had chosen that for the guys to wear. Chris and Beth’s baby was due at the end of July and they were already spending lots of money on baby things. Ashlyn didn’t want to cause them any extra expenses if she could help it. She bought a couple of ties and pocket squares that she thought would look nice for Chris too, just in case. One of her biggest decisions was going to be her hair. She loved to wear it up in the tight bun when she wore suits. But she really liked the juxtaposition of soft waves of hair falling around her shoulder while she wore the tux too. That would probably be a decision she left until the week of the wedding. She just couldn’t make up her mind. 

// 

Ashlyn wanted to do the wedding invitations for Ali that week as well. That was an important one. Ashlyn never just expected Ali to do the invitations but she knew that she would. The brunette and Sydney had been waiting for their weddings their entire lives and enjoyed the planning and the tasks. But the keeper wanted to take something off of her fiancée’s plate and give her some time back. She knew that the brunette was trying not to ask Sydney to do too many things because she was six months pregnant and a little cranky. That was just how thoughtful Ali was. But the keeper also knew that her fiancée would probably have some very specific expectations about how the invitations should look before they were assembled and mailed out. As much as she didn’t want to, Ashlyn was going to have to ask Ali about the invitations and explain what she wanted to do. Otherwise it would just be adding more stress to Ali, wondering if Ashlyn had done them just right, rather than taking stress away.

“I would love that honey” the brunette enthused that evening after they had eaten dinner. She was kneeling on the bench seat in the nook folding clean clothes and putting them into neat piles at the end of the table. She used to fold clothes on the living room couch as they watched tv but with the puppies in the house now, she had to change her routine so there wasn’t dog hair on their clothes 100% of the time. Table tops were now the preferred surface for any non-dog hair activities.

“You would?” the blonde asked, a little suspicious. “Really?”

“Yes, totally really” Ali chuckled when she saw the disbelief on her keeper’s face. “We’ll do a bunch together and make sure we’ve both got the hang of it and then I’ll let you take over.”

“You’re really ok with me doing that without you?” Ashlyn knew she sounded like a jackass but she wanted to be very sure. Lord knew they were only going to be sending out wedding invitations this one time in their lives.

“Babe, yes.” Ali leaned towards the edge of the nook where Ashlyn was standing and puckered her lips for a kiss. The keeper brought their lips together and smiled into the kiss, wrapping her arms around the brunette’s waist, pulling her in close.

“I promise I’ll do a good job” the blonde said reassuringly as she patted Ali on her butt when she went back to folding clothes.

“I know you will. I know they’re important to you too, not just me. I trust you with them honey.”

The next afternoon, as soon as Ali got home from her appointments on the road, they opened up the box of invitations and spread out the various components on the dining room table. Ali smiled as she remembered doing the same thing with Sydney’s invitations on the very same table the year before, granted the table had been in her house in Stoneham at the time. They both read the instructions and put the piles of different components in the correct order and started to assemble a few to see how it went. Ashlyn had better handwriting than Ali did. The brunette’s was messy and always looked hurried no matter what she did. Originally and for twenty years, Ali had planned to take a calligraphy course so she could use it for her wedding invitations. She laughed at the memory now. Who the hell had time for that? They worked together for about an hour before Ali got up, kissed the blonde sweetly, and went up to her office to get back to working her two jobs. It took Ashlyn the rest of the week, an hour or two here and there, to finish them all but she did it. Ali had jumped back in a couple of times to help, unable to stay away completely. But it wasn’t because she didn’t trust the keeper to do a good job, it was because she wanted to be near her love.

//

Ashlyn had been trying to learn more about the Captain that had built the big old house but had hit a wall in the research and just given up earlier in the year. She wanted it to be a surprise for Ali but she was running out of time. She had even gotten Whitney’s assistance but when the defender came up to the same dead ends it was time to call in the big guns. The keeper made an appointment with an archivist at the New England Historic Genealogical Society on Newbury St in Boston. It had one of the oldest and most reputable genealogy libraries in the country. She was hoping to get some advice on getting past the brick wall she had run into so she could keep going on her own. But when Ashlyn learned that she could pay them and they would do all the work for her? It wasn’t cheap. At all. But with time slipping away from her, she had decided to spend the money. It would be her wedding gift to the brunette. If she could sweet talk Ali into it, she hoped it would be her wedding gift from Ali too. They didn’t need to be giving each other wedding gifts anyway. All the expenses for the wedding were starting to creep into both of their brains and it was beginning to get stressful. Ashlyn gave it one last thought and then signed up for the research to be done. She was hopeful they would have the results within a month but the archivist warned her that it was impossible to predict how long it could take.

//

The blonde wanted to help out more with Knight-Harris correspondence that week too, again, trying to ease Ali’s load. The brunette was still working her sales job full-time and also doing whatever was needed at Knight-Harris too. And just as the publicity from the marathon had died down a little bit, the Nike commercial and print ads started to appear that week, in the middle of June. Nike had a few different versions of the tv commercial, each one a different length. They had gotten such good footage and they had found Hilary and Ashlyn’s chemistry and camaraderie to be so endearing and appealing that they put together a behind the scenes ‘making of’ that they wanted to release later in the fall after everyone had seen all the ads and photos and billboards and still wanted more. Nike decided to use the Knight-Harris shoot as their signature promo for their whole women’s division. Ashlyn had almost driven off the road the first time she saw the billboard along the highway. There was her face, fourteen feet high, next to Hilary’s with the Nike swoosh and ‘Just Do It’ line. Nike had also used a shot of Ashlyn carrying Marjorie to the finish line at the marathon for some of the print ads. 

The tv ads themselves were funny and poignant and very effective and popular. Everybody loved them, except for most of the people in NYC because there was such a rivalry between them and so many of the teams in Boston. One of the funniest ads was Ashlyn in full hockey gear trying to score on Hilary. And then Hilary trying to kick a soccer ball past Ashlyn. Another popular ad was the two women imitating great Boston sports moments. Hilary did her best version of Bobby Orr flying through the air after scoring the game-winning goal in the Stanley Cup Finals over St. Louis back in 1970. They had Ashlyn imitating Carlton Fisk, hopping down the first base line and waving his arms at the homerun ball that looked like it was going to drift foul until it clanged off the left field foul pole and over the Green Monster, giving the Red Sox catcher a walk-off home run in Game 6 of the 1975 World Series against the Reds. Hilary channeled Celtic great John Havlicek as he leapt in front of a 76ers inbound pass with 5 seconds left to play in game 7 of the 1965 Eastern Conference finals. The steal preserved a one point victory that sent the Celtics back to the Finals while the announcer screamed “Havlicek stole the ball! Havlicek stole the ball!!” at the top of his lungs. And finally, Ashlyn embodied the best clutch kicker in the NFL, Adam Vinatieri, as he calmly kicked the 48 yard, Super Bowl winning field goal giving the Patriots their first Super Bowl victory in 2001. 

The keeper was in demand and both she and Ali were trying to capitalize on her moment in the sun. It was time to hire somebody, at least part-time, to help out at Knight-Harris. They needed a dedicated and talented intern. Early in the week, Ashlyn put together a posting for the intern position and ran it by the boss for approval before putting it on the website and their social media. She sat with her laptop and the puppies on the couch in Ali’s office and replied to email requests, scheduled interviews and appointments and updated and monitored the Knight-Harris social media as well as her own. They both enjoyed working together like that. Ali would look up and smile at her beautiful fiancée and then focus on her own work again. Ashlyn did the same thing. Despite the adoring looks, they actually managed to be very productive.

One of Kyle’s best friends growing up, Nathan, had a younger brother who was just finishing his senior year of college in Boston. Kyle swore Jared was a good kid who was smart and capable and funny and ambitious. He wanted a career in electronic media and had been using Kyle as a sort of mentor to further those goals. Jared wasn’t an athlete but he loved sports. He was the kid who ran the stat book for the varsity basketball team in high school and knew the weight and height of the entire football team. Kyle thought Knight-Harris would be a perfect fit for Jared. That’s how, at the end of that same week, Jacob Kimball came to be the second official employee of Knight-Harris, although it was a low-paying summer internship position to start with. Ali had been the first official employee even though her salary was only $1 per year. Both women hoped Jared was as good as advertised because they needed him to get up to speed fast.

//

Friday afternoon Ashlyn came up to work in Ali’s office with her again, bringing along the puppies too. After a couple of productive hours she brought the puppies downstairs, played with them in the yard and then put them in their crates for a nap. She grabbed a bottle of red wine, a bottle of whiskey, appropriate glasses and went up the backstairs. The keeper had texted Ali to check in on her status and knew that the brunette was done for the day with her sales job work. She had switched over to Knight-Harris duties for the last hour of the afternoon. Ashlyn quietly went into the studio to get things ready.

“Did somebody order room service?” Ashlyn asked provocatively as she knocked on the open door of the office fifteen minutes later.

She smirked at Ali who had looked up, surprised. The keeper bent over and pushed one of her storage carts from the studio through the door and into the space between the couch and Ali’s desk. She had emptied the cart and then filled it with their drinks, including the bottles, some fruit and snacks, the brunette’s favorite chocolates, a single rose in a tall, skinny vase and her phone which was playing a new sexy times playlist.

“Whoa,” Ali said, her eyes wide and a big grin on her face. “What do we have here? And what are you wearing, sexy?” she asked as she closed her laptop and silenced her phone. It wasn’t every day that Ashlyn got dressed up for her and she wasn’t going to let any half-written emails or new message alerts get in the way.

The keeper wore a sheer, see-through satin robe of Ali’s. It was fuschia with black cuffs, collar and belt and came to mid-thigh. The belt was tied around her waist but she had opened the collar so most of her chest was visible. Underneath she wore a sexy, black lingerie bra that had open cups in the front with material strips criss-crossed in big open diamonds across each breast. Her pink nipples poked out invitingly between the strips of material. The blonde was trying to hide what was below the belt until the last possible minute, keeping the cart between the two of them, hoping to surprise her girl even more. Ashlyn poured Ali a glass of red wine and then filled her own glass with whiskey. She poured two shots of whiskey and passed one to her fiancée who had come around the end of her desk and was now leaning against the front of it raking her eyes over the gorgeous blonde and biting her bottom lip.

“Here’s to quitting time and my beautiful fiancée” Ashlyn purred out as she raised her shot glass to Ali’s.

“I’ll drink to that and my sexy fiancée.”

They did their shots and Ashlyn turned the volume up on the playlist a little bit. Ali picked up her wine glass and stared at the keeper with dark eyes as she took a sip and licked her lips.

“Damn you look hot” she husked out as her eyes kept darkening.

“Oh you like what you see baby?” Ashlyn asked with a sultry look, turning slowly around for the brunette.

“I love what I see. I love that sexy new bra and that ass.” Ali walked slowly around the cart, eager to get her hands on the blonde. “I wanna lick and suck every inch of what I see. Mmmmmmm.”

Ashlyn smirked again and carried the tray with the snacks to the coffee table and sat down on the couch with her drink in her hand, arms still covering her lap.

“Well why don’t you come over here and tell me all about that?” the keeper teased.

Ali picked the bottle of wine up and started to walk slowly towards the couch.

“Wait” Ashlyn said firmly when the brunette was a foot away from the coffee table. Her sharp voice sent a jolt through Ali’s body and she felt a gush as her juices dampened her panties. “You have way too many clothes on.”

Ali put the wine bottle and her glass on the coffee table and smirked back at her keeper. She reached up to undo the messy bun her hair was in but Ashlyn stopped her again.

“No, leave it like that, and keep your glasses on too.”

Another jolt ran up the brunette’s spine. She had worked from home that day so she wore a t-shirt and a pair of loose track pants over her bra and panties. Ali slowly removed all four pieces of clothing, taking a step closer to the couch each time she dropped one on the floor behind her. It was Ashlyn’s turn to swallow hard and feel the passion pool between her legs. Ali stood in front of her keeper with a sexy smirk on her face. She reached down and picked up her wine glass, taking another sip before setting it back down and licking her lips again.

“I showed you mine, now let’s see yours” Ali’s words dripped with desire and lust.

Ashlyn had been sitting up straight the whole time with her forearms on her thighs, holding her whiskey glass in her hands above her knees. Her sheer robe was still tied at her waist.

“I wanna feel you first” the blonde said and reached her right hand out, palm up, in front of Ali. She waited for Ali to take a half-step closer and basically put her pussy on top of Ashlyn’s expectant hand. “That’s it. Oooh that feels nice. You’re so wet for me already.”

Ali gasped when she felt the blonde’s fingers moving through her wet folds, teasing her entrance but avoiding her clit altogether. She tried to grind down against the keeper’s hand but as soon as she did, Ashlyn lowered her hand. 

“Such a tease” Ali purred.

Ashlyn took a sip of her drink, in her other hand, while her right hand stayed between Ali’s legs applying just enough pressure to tease her. The keeper leaned forward a little bit to put her glass down on the coffee table and when she sat back again she untied her robe and opened it, watching the brunette’s face. It took Ali a minute to realize what she was seeing. She was distracted by the blonde’s hand between her legs and the hardening nipples peeking out of the strappy bra. Ashlyn pressed her thumb against the brunette’s clit to get her attention.

“Oh yeah babe” she moaned.

Ashlyn moved her right leg a little wider and leaned back against the back of the couch, pulling her hand away from Ali’s wet center and licking her fingers slowly. Ali’s face registered unhappiness and confusion at the distance and the loss of contact. But then she saw the strap-on with the neon green dildo between Ashlyn’s legs and her mouth fell open. A half-moan, half-groan left her lips but came from deep in her core and her eyes became so dark they were almost black.

“Fuck Ash” she breathed out, her excitement multiplying rapidly.

“Yes please” Ashlyn smirked again and patted her lap.

Ali moved towards the blonde but before she straddled her she paused.

“Take that robe off. I want to see you” she commanded almost breathlessly, her excitement so great.

Once the keeper had removed the robe and tossed it on the end of the couch she slouched down so most of her back was on the seat of the couch, her feet on the floor in front of her and the strap-on sticking up in the air. When she was in position Ali knelt on the couch with one knee, leaned forward and kissed her hard on the lips. It was an aggressive, hard kiss and they hit their teeth against each other in their hunger but kept on going. Ali’s hands were on the keeper’s caged nipples, squeezing and tugging on them gently. After several minutes the brunette stood back up and ran her hand through her own soaked folds, collecting the passion there and rubbing it onto the dildo. Ashlyn’s lidded eyes darkened and she moaned when she felt the pressure from the strap-on against her clit.

“Jesus Al.”

“Almost there babe” Ali said as she straddled the blonde, knees on either side of her hips on the couch. 

Ashlyn put both hands on the brunette’s breasts and kneaded them, pinching the nipples and loving how they stiffened even more under her fingers. Ali reached back and guided the tip of the knobby dildo to her entrance so she could start to take it in. She put her hands behind her on Ashlyn’s strong thighs, letting the blonde keep working on her breasts.

“Oh Jesus” Ali moaned as she slowly took all of the dildo inside her pulsing core.

She closed her eyes and threw her head back for a moment, loving the way the neon toy filled her so perfectly. They hadn’t even started moving together yet and Ali already felt like she could come in a matter of seconds. Everything about their afternoon delight had turned her on and when Ashlyn moved her right hand from Ali’s breast down to her sweet spot by her left hip she moaned loudly and started grinding on the strap-on in slow circles.

“Yeah baby, I’ll bet that feels so good” Ashlyn husked out. “Fuck, that’s hot as hell.”

Ashlyn was close too. Just the visual stimulation alone, Ali with her hair up and messy and her glasses perched on her nose with her mouth agape and her nipples hard and erect, would have been enough to bring her very close to the edge, but the way Ali was grinding and pressing against the strap-on felt amazing on the keeper’s clit. She started thrusting her hips upward, trying to catch Ali’s rhythm. 

“Unnhhh...oh fuck...Ashlyn...” Ali’s legs were starting to tremble.

“Does that feel good, gorgeous? You’re so fucking beautiful Ali. Unfuckingbelievable.”

Ali started to use her thighs and slide up and down the dildo, her small breasts bouncing along.

“Oh God. Oh fuck.” The brunette leaned forward and moved her hands in front of her, one on the back of the couch and the other grabbing a fistful of blonde hair. “Ohhh...mmmmmm...”

Ashlyn saw the slight sheen of sweat break out on Ali’s chest and abs. She spread her fingers wide and ran her whole hand down the front of the brunette from her collarbone to her pubic bone. Ali squealed when the heel of Ashlyn’s palm hit her clit at the end of the motion.

“Yes. Yes. My clit” she urged.

Ashlyn felt the dildo becoming harder to slide as Ali’s walls started to clamp down on it. She was close and the blonde didn’t want it to end so soon. Ashlyn kept one hand on Ali’s breast and pulled the other down to try and tease her clit a little bit. It was hard to keep a light touch because the brunette was moving up and down.

“Please babe...my clit. Please” she pleaded.

The keeper tried again but still couldn’t get a good handle on the sensitive nub. Exasperated or tired, Ali leaned further forward and stopped pumping on the toy. She rested her forearms on the back cushion of the couch and started grinding again, harder than before. Her breasts were right in the keeper’s face and Ashlyn quickly took them in her mouth, one at a time, sucking on them and flicking them with her hot tongue.

“Yeah. Unnhhh. My fucking clit...” Ali begged and started to bring her hand down to take care of it herself.

Ashlyn put her right hand on Ali’s hip and her left hand down near her own stomach where the brunette’s clit was. The keeper put her hand sideways, thumb down, on Ali’s mound and pushed the brunette back a little so she could get to her sensitive nub. She slid her thumb underneath her grinding fiancée and covered it with Ali’s juices. Then she moved it firm and fast against her aching clit.

“Yessssss!!” Ali yelled out. “Fuck yes!”

Ashlyn kept thrusting her hips up into Ali as the brunette ground down and around on the dildo. The blonde sucked and nibbled at Ali’s breasts, feeling her legs starting to twitch. The pressure from her thumb finally on the brunette’s clit was driving Ali towards the edge at an incredibly fast rate.

“Oh babe, Jesus...” Ali mumbled, starting to lose control. “Oh fuck.”

Her orgasm took over quickly. It was powerful and she felt it start way down in her toes, shooting up through her body like a firework and exploding all around her.

“Yessssss!!!” she screamed. “Ashlyn!!”

Her whole body shook, harder than the blonde could remember in a long time. Ali dropped her body down onto Ashlyn, completely going limp and letting the orgasm toss her around at will. The keeper tried to hold her but the angle was awkward. She twisted to the side a little bit so she could lay her torso and head down flat against the couch and pulled Ali down on top of her, holding her tightly against her chest as they rode her high out together. After the brunette finally stilled, Ashlyn pressed kisses into her neck and along the top of her shoulder as the she lay there limply.

“Oh my fucking God” she whispered breathlessly. 

“That was easily one of the sexiest things we’ve ever done” Ashlyn said, still kissing whatever skin of Ali’s she could reach with her lips.

Ali chuckled and exhaled a big breath. “You are so fucking sexy Ash. I don’t even know what to say anymore.”

“You’re one to talk” the keeper smirked and tried to move her hips so she could pull the dildo out of her beautiful brunette.

“No, leave it” Ali whispered as she lifted her head up and kissed the blonde passionately.

She wasn’t sure why she often liked to keep the toy inside her for a few extra minutes. Maybe she felt even more connected to Ashlyn, physically. Maybe she just wanted to prolong the moment. She loved to feel it move a little bit as the blonde caught her breath or wrapped her arms around her. Ashlyn never made her feel weird about it. She just held Ali close. They kissed for several minutes, having missed it during the hot sex they had just had. Ali finally got up on her knees so Ashlyn could pull the dildo out. She slid down the keeper’s body trailing her hands behind and squeezing her still caged breasts. Ali knelt on the floor between the blonde’s legs and pulled her up into her previous slouched sitting position. She took the harness off and let Ashlyn start to lick the dildo clean while she moved the coffee table back and made room. 

“As much as I love that hot new bra, it’s time to take it off” she instructed as she spread Ashlyn’s legs open wide. “I don’t want anything between us while I’m eating you out.”

Ashlyn gulped and did as she was told while Ali put her hands to work immediately on the freshly freed nipples. The keeper picked up the toy again and licked the rest of the brunette’s juices off of it. Ali pressed her face into the blonde’s pussy and they both moaned loudly as they tasted their own personal versions of heaven.


	15. The New One

The Breakers lost their first game back after their off-week. It was an away game in Orlando and nothing irked the keeper more than losing to her hometown team. They rebounded remarkably well and beat the newest team in the NWSL, the North Carolina Courage. They weren’t really new. The owners of the Western New York Flash, who had just won the NWSL championship the year before, sold the team and the new owners relocated it to North Carolina. It was an important win for the Breakers because the Flash had owned them last season. The Breakers were showing more grit and backbone than they had in recent years and it was a very good thing. Ashlyn had arranged to stay an extra day after the Orlando loss so she could visit her family. 

“I sure am sorry I can’t make it up for your party, Bashy. But you know I’ll be sending you all my love” Gram said as she sat next to her granddaughter on the screen porch.

“Aw it’s ok Gram. I wish you could be there but I understand” the keeper put a forkful of pancakes into her mouth and patted her grandmother’s hand on the table.

It was Monday morning and Ashlyn had just come home from surfing with Chris, her dad and one of her cousins. Gram had greeted her with a nice, big breakfast and had watched her enjoy every bite. Ashlyn had been away from her Florida home for long stretches of time before but she had always come back. No matter where she travelled to play the sport that she loved, she always made her way home to Satellite Beach for a week or two a couple of times a year. Usually for a longer stretch in the winter. But things were different now and the whole Harris clan knew things would never be like that again. It was a good change. They knew Ashlyn was happier than she had ever been and that her life with Ali was as good and fulfilling as they could hope for. But it made them all sad too. They were only human and one of their favorite humans wasn’t around very much anymore. They spoke on the phone and stayed in touch with texts and Facetime but there was nothing like having the blonde’s easy-going, fun-loving, goofy personality living in the house with them.

“I’m so proud of you honey” the old woman smiled and started to get emotional. “You were the first one to get your college degree. You’ve been so successful with your career. You’ve travelled all over the world doing what you’re the very best at.” Gram stopped to try and keep her voice steady. “And now you’ve found your soulmate and you’re going to live happily ever after and, well, I just am so happy for you and proud of you. That’s all” she finished with a sheepish shrug.

Ashlyn had finished chewing her mouthful of food, choking it down as she fought her own emotions. She scooted her chair closer and wrapped her long arms around the woman she had loved longer and better than anyone else. Gram returned the hug and they held each other for a few minutes, both fighting back tears.

“Thanks Gram. I miss you so much” Ashlyn finally squeaked out as her voice broke and her tears started to fall.

“Oh Bashy, I miss you too honey. So very much. But I know you’re where you’re supposed to be. And that makes it easier when you’re gone.”

Ashlyn sat back as they both wiped their tears away. The keeper held her grandmother’s hand as she spoke.

“It’s so hard sometimes but I know in my bones that my place is up there with Ali and that house. I can’t explain it, but no place has ever felt more like home to me. And I don’t mean that this house hasn’t felt like home all these years...”

“Ashlyn you don’t have to try and spare my feelings” Gram chuckled softly. “I know what you mean. I left my home when I met your Grandfather too. I didn’t love it any less, I just loved the new one a little more.”

The keeper smiled adoringly at the old woman.

“How do you always know how to explain things like that? That’s what I’ve been trying to find a way to say since Christmas” Ashlyn chuckled. “I feel so guilty sometimes. I wish it wasn’t so far away. I wish you could come visit with us more often. How great would it be if you could just wake up one morning and decide you were going to come visit for the day?”

“That sounds just wonderful honey.” Gram patted the blonde’s hand and smiled back at her. “When I’m missing you I just pick up the phone and call you. And that’s ok. I always knew you were going to spread your wings and fly. I knew it from when you were a little girl. I’ve been dreading it all this time but I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Ashlyn tilted her head a little to the side, confused.

“You’ve found the love of your life. Your true love. And nothing should ever get in the way of that. Not ever.”

//

Saturday July 1st was a hectic day for Ali. The Breakers were flying back to Boston just before noon time after defeating the Carolina Courage the night before. Ashlyn had tried to call Ali several times that morning to see how puppy class had gone, but the brunette hadn’t picked up any of the calls. Ali texted back, reminding her fiancée that she was running around getting the house ready for Deb and Kyle and Nico to come stay for the weekend.

The wedding party was throwing a Jill & Jill party that night for Ali and Ashlyn. The happy couple knew about it and had planned on it and saved the date but they had no idea what the party was or where it was being held. And there was an extra surprise for the blonde. Ali arranged for Ashlyn’s family to come up for the party too. Originally it was just going to be Chris, her best man. But Beth, Tammye, Mike and Gram were all coming too. Getting Beth, who was due at the end of the month, up to Gloucester had been worrisome for a while but her doctor said that her pregnancy had been a good one and there were no causes for concern. If the flight had been any longer, or the date any later, the doctor wouldn’t have signed off on the trip. But hopping up the coast on a 2-1/2 hour flight didn’t make anybody nervous. Not even Beth. She and Chris had thought about taking the train but it took so much longer. Beth said it made her more nervous being on a train for twelve hours rather than on a short flight.

Ali and Ashlyn didn’t really want to do a wedding shower. Traditionally you have a shower so your closest friends can give you things to help you prepare for your new married life in your new home. That didn’t apply to Ali and Ashlyn because they’d been living together for almost a year and the house was fully furnished and they didn’t really need anything. They both wanted a bachelorette party. For sure. But they had trouble deciding how to do that. Did they each want their own party? Without the other person there? That felt wrong. But having a wild bachelorette party together didn’t feel right either. They were stumped. Sydney was the one who put words to what they were all thinking.

“Why don’t we just throw you a big party so we can all have fun and enjoy ourselves without having to call it anything in particular? That’s what you really want, right? Just a big party?” Sydney had asked several weeks earlier.

They finally agreed to call it a Jill & Jill party because at least that signaled a wedding festivity. Ashlyn had been sad about her family missing the event. She remembered how fun it had been to celebrate with them all at Chris and Beth’s Jack & Jill last year. But the keeper knew, just as Debbie Christopher had known at Christmastime, if you move away from your family you are going to miss out celebrating some things with them, no matter how much you all loved each other. 

Ali had asked Kyle and Nico to stay at the Atlantis hotel for the weekend for a couple of reasons. One was because the big old house was going to be full of Harrises. And two was to check it out. Ashlyn had vouched for it and they had already reserved a bunch of rooms for the wedding but Ali wanted an assessment from a truly critical eye before she put all of the important people in her life there later that summer. The NYC guys had arrived the afternoon before and stayed at the big old house that night. Kyle had gone to puppy class with Ali Saturday morning in Ashlyn’s stead.

“Listen Ky, I need you to take the reins on the party. Whitney won’t be back until after lunch and Syd’s almost seven months pregnant so she’s not going to be as helpful as usual.”

“Bossy as fuck though, that’s for sure” Kyle sighed and rolled his eyes, but then grinned. “I got it sis. I’m not giving you any hints or anything, but we’re not going to be setting up folding tables and chairs or anything so there’s not much set up work to do. I’ll take care of everything and bossy-pants Leroux can just be the supervisor. K?”

“Perfect. Thanks BB.”

Dom was again put in charge of airport pick-up which he agreed to only once Ali assured him that Kyle would make sure Sydney didn’t overdo anything. It would have been easier to have Dom help Sydney but Ali didn’t want Kyle doing the airport pick-up. He was a terrible driver. Dom brought the Harrises, except for Chris, back to his house in Stoneham for the afternoon. Ali drove separately to pick up Ashlyn, Whitney, Deb and Chris from the airport as part of the main plan. Ashlyn loved that the brunette still did that. If at all humanly possible, Ali dropped off and picked up Ashlyn when she travelled. For team trips the keeper and Whitney drove the jeep to the Breakers’ facility and took the bus in with the rest of the team. That was a general team rule. It was bent a lot for lots of players, but, as leadership, Ashlyn didn’t like to bend it for herself very much. They were bending it for this trip but it was for a special event. But for any other non-Breakers trips, or when she extended a Breakers trip to stay in Orlando or DC, Ali picked her up. It wasn’t quite as exciting as their very first homecoming reunion, but it still gave Ashlyn a thrill to see the beautiful brunette waiting for her with that smile on her face. They still walked arm-in-arm back to the central parking lot hugging away the distance and breathing each other in. 

That Saturday though, everybody was worried about Ashlyn somehow seeing her family at the airport. They all knew it was an incredible longshot but stranger things had happened. They were all arriving at about the same time, just before noon. Whitney had been instructed to keep her best friend distracted as Ali drove out of the airport and Deb and Chris were quick to help the defender as Ali drove faster than usual and avoided anything that looked like a rental van. There wasn’t much time once they got back to the big old house. Ashlyn and Whitney got their things unpacked, ate lunch with everybody and relaxed for about an hour. Before they knew it, the clock said 4pm and it was time to get ready for their big party. Kyle and Nico had moved their things over to the hotel while Ali was making the airport pick-up and then come back to the big old house for lunch with the new arrivals. 

“God you look good” Ali groaned as she watched the keeper dry herself off after stepping out of the shower.

With two away games the past two weeks and hectic schedules the couple hadn’t had a lot of time for each other. The brunette had come into the bathroom to grab a hair tie so she could finish with her high pony-tail and then go back to the dressing table to do her make-up. She was trying to avoid exactly the situation she found herself in at the moment. Ali bit her bottom lip as her eyes raked up and down her fiancée’s wet, naked body.

“Jesus” she breathed out as she felt her cheeks flush and the desire travel through her body as she leaned against the vanity and stared shamelessly.

She had to take two steps closer to Ashlyn to get to the bathroom door so she could escape but she wasn’t sure she’d be able to get close without throwing herself at the blonde. Ashlyn smirked and then took in the conflicted look on her girl’s face. She took pity on her and wrapped the towel around her body, tucking it up under her armpits for maximum coverage.

“You’d better get out of here before I change my mind” she teased with a quirked eyebrow.

“Just one kiss” Ali said as she approached the keeper cautiously. “I won’t be able to stop after that.”

She leaned up and closed her eyes as Ashlyn brought their lips together in a tender and tempered kiss. She kept her hands behind her back so she wouldn’t be tempted to pull the brunette into her and get carried away.

“Damn I love your lips” the keeper mumbled after the kiss as they leaned their foreheads together trying to keep their composure. “We can be late to our own party, right?” she breathed out with her eyes still closed.

Ali ran her fingers across the blonde’s cheekbone and jaw and swallowed hard. She cupped Ashlyn’s face and gave her another soft kiss before pulling back slowly.

“No babe, we can’t” Ali answered sadly. As much as she wanted to spend an hour with her naked fiancée she was almost as excited to get her to the party to give her the big family surprise. “And now I need to go change into some dry panties because you are killing me with all of this” she groaned again, playfully, and moved her hand, palm facing Ashlyn, all around in front of the sexy blonde.

They sat close together and held hands in the backseat of Ali’s truck, as Whitney and Deb drove them towards their party. Chris followed in the Jeep with Kyle and Nico. No matter how hard the two brides to be had tried to find out where they were going or what was planned, the four party planners revealed nothing. The only information they gave the couple was to wear comfortable clothes. Kyle had tried to talk Ali out of the cute, light blue, sleeveless sundress she had planned to wear but she stubbornly insisted that it was very comfortable. She took his advice and went with her more practical sandals though, instead of the heels she had originally picked out. Ashlyn wore a pair of patchwork madras shorts that came to just above her knees and dark blue Sperrys. The shorts were predominantly muted greens and soft blues with some coral and peach colors thrown in here and there. The short-sleeved, cotton, button-up shirt she wore untucked was pale peach. She wore it unbuttoned and open over a tight, white tank top that showed off her abs. Halfway there they both moved their hands to the other’s thigh, thumbs rubbing gently.

When they pulled into the K1 Speed & Entertainment complex at 7pm they were both smiling from ear to ear. They had wanted to check this place out but hadn’t been able to get there yet. It was pretty new and had gotten great reviews from all of their friends who had visited it already. 

“Oh it’s perfect!” Ali enthused as the keeper helped her out of the backseat. “This is going to be so much fun!”

“Yeah, it’s going to be so much fun getting my butt handed to me all night long as you beat me at every game in there” Ashlyn whined and dropped her head in fake misery.

“Oh buck up you big baby” Kyle teased as they all walked towards the door. “You’re marrying her. You’re going to have a whole lifetime of her handing you your skinny ass. You love it.”

“I love you sweetheart...” Ali said quietly after pulling the blonde to a stop outside the door. She reached up and put her arms around Ashlyn’s neck and placed a sweet kiss on her lips “with all my heart.” The keeper wrapped her arms around her waist as Ali gave her another soft kiss. “But I’m going to kick your ass tonight.”

K1 had started as primarily a go-kart racing facility. There were four different tracks inside the sprawling complex. It was all indoors because they didn’t want to have to close down for half the year when the weather got cold and snowy. The investors realized early on that they would need to be able to appeal to different markets to become truly successful. They weren’t going to make it with only the family market coming in on weekend days. They needed to be a destination for the nighttime crowd as well. In between the four different tracks were all kinds of other arcade games, both electronic and hands-on. There were ping-pong tables, pool tables, foosball tables, darts, skee-ball, and air hockey. You could even rent a small basketball court by the hour. They had a bunch of the big electronic simulator games and some retro and vintage video games like the old Ms Pacman and Tetris games you used to sit down at in the pizza parlor when you were kids. 

In the center of the complex was a huge bar with high-definition televisions around it, all tuned to sporting events. The kitchen wasn’t anything special and the menu was mostly bar food. Whitney and Sydney had gone and done a taste test and weren’t thrilled with the quality of the food but they had definitely had worse. The upside of everything else going on there balanced out the less than stellar food. There were a couple of private rooms that you could rent for the evening, complete with a couple of waitstaff to take care of whatever you needed from the bar and kitchen. The place was loud with a mix of dance and techno music blaring through the speakers everywhere. The go-karts were electric so they didn’t have to deal with exhaust fumes and the annoying sound of all those go-kart engines.

As they stepped into the lobby and looked up to take the whole place in, Ashlyn squeezed the brunette’s hand. They grinned at each other like children as Kyle snapped pictures of the adorable moment. Sydney and Dom joined them, giving hugs and making bets about who was going to win which game. When Whitney walked in with Deb and Chris the small group moved to the private room they had reserved for the night. All of the other guests were already assembled inside the room, patiently waiting. As they walked through the door, Ali winked at her brother and Kyle got his camera ready to capture Ashlyn’s face when she realized her entire family was there to surprise her. Ashlyn was the last one through the door and as Whitney and Nico and Sydney stepped to the side, the keeper gasped and covered her mouth with both hands as her eyes grew big.

“Surprise!!” the Harris clan yelled and then surrounded Ashlyn with hugs and kisses.

Joining the Harrises in the room were Ken, Vicki and the boys, Scott Krieger and his extended family, except for little Allie who was home with a sitter. Niki, Molly, Carm, Jessie, Liz, Erica, Heather and a handful of other friends were all there as well. Most of the Breakers team, coaches and staff were there, along with Hilary Knight and several members of the Boston Pride. Whitney and Kyle had arranged with the K1 owners for their group to have the whole place to themselves. Normally that would have been exorbitantly expensive. But when the owner saw the guest list and listened to Kyle’s proposal about the social media blitz that guest list would launch to promote K1 it had been an easy investment for the owner to make.

After two hours of running around like little kids, but with alcoholic drinks, everybody met back in the private room for cake. Sydney had ordered a big sheet cake that was decorated with the photograph that all four of the wedding party had agreed was their favorite. It was a picture of the happy couple that Kyle had taken that grey day after Thanksgiving when they had driven around Gloucester and Rockport looking for interesting backdrops along the coast. Ali and Ashlyn had been walking on the beach, hand in hand, while Kyle snapped pictures of Nico off in another direction. As the two women walked back towards Kyle he turned and saw them, their heads tilted sideways against each other as they kept walking towards him. As he was snapping away at them a big wind blew in off the water and hit them square in the face. It lifted their long hair up and out, away from their faces and it caused them both to look up in pleasant surprise. That was the picture on the cake. The two of them on the beach in cold November, heads together as they faced the camera, eyes bright and shining with love and happiness. Sydney had never seen a better picture of her best friend. It captured her perfectly. Her perfect smile and her beautiful whiskey colored eyes were full of life and possibilities. Whitney felt the same way about her best friend in the picture. Ashlyn liked to ham it up in photographs if she knew one was being taken. She mugged it up good and made everybody laugh. But this photograph had been a surprise and it captured the blonde in a moment of pure honesty. Her grin was wide and her dimple was out, but hidden a bit because that side of Ashlyn’s head was tilted towards Ali. The natural lighting made her hazel eyes look almost grey. There was a peaceful, tranquil look on her face that was pretty rare to see unless she was sleeping. It was the look of a woman who had never been happier or felt more complete. The cool way their hair floated above and behind them just made it extra special. It was an amazing photograph.

Kyle had shown Ali almost all of the pictures he had taken that weekend but he was planning to frame that picture and give it to them for Christmas. When Ali proposed to Ashlyn, he changed his plans and had it framed as a wedding gift. As Sydney explained her idea for the cake he knew he had to use the same picture. It was just too good to keep all for himself. He would still give them the framed photograph for their wedding present but the picture would get its’ debut on the cake for all of their friends and family to see that night.

“Oh my God” Ali breathed out as she looked at the beautiful cake. “Kyle, this photo...” she paused and turned to find her brother, taking more pictures behind his camera. “I love this so much” she said as her voice broke.

Kyle put his camera down and gave his little sister a hug, letting her cry into his shoulder. Ashlyn joined them, kissing Kyle on his cheek and thanking him for the beautiful photograph he had taken seven months earlier.

“It was Syd’s idea” Kyle said, clearing his throat and nodding at the very pregnant woman standing close by. “I just happened to have the perfect photo.”

Ashlyn reached her long arm out and pulled Sydney in to their group hug. After another minute, Ali took Whitney by the hand and pulled her in while the keeper leaned back and dragged her brother over to join them too.

“We’re so lucky to have such wonderful friends and family” Ashlyn said, trying to keep her voice even and steady. “These guys and gals right here” she looked from Whitney all along the six of them, now standing arm in arm in a row, down to Chris, “are our ride or dies. They’re our day ones and I know I can speak for Ali on this too, we wouldn’t be where we are right now without them.”

“Thank you so much you guys. We love you” Ali added as she wiped the tears from her face and grinned at the tight group. “Now who wants some cake?”

It turned out that Ashlyn beat Ali every single time they raced in the go-karts. The keeper had been happy to beat her just once but the more times the brunette challenged her to another race, the more times Ashlyn beat her. The only other game that the blonde was able to beat her talented fiancée at was skee-ball. Ashlyn smirked and chalked it up to her extra practice with Meg in DC. Ali hated losing but if she had to lose to somebody she was happy it was the love of her life. She had never felt that way about losing before. She would always hate it, but when she lost something to Ashlyn the distaste quickly disappeared and transformed into genuine happiness for her love. It was fleeting though, the brunette was always eager for the next challenge.

Just after 11pm there was a commotion by the front entrance and Ashlyn and Ali, from their position by the bar, turned to see Julian Edelman and one of his teammates, Danny Amendola, walking towards them.

“Jules!” the keeper yelled out as she put her shot glass down and moved towards the Patriots player.

“Ash!” he called back and hugged her as they met a few feet away from the bar. “Couldn’t miss my homie’s big pre-wedding bash!” 

Ashlyn waved for Ali to join her and she greeted Julian with a hug.

“Have you guys met Danny yet?” he asked as he introduced his teammate to the two women. “Hils!!” he yelled as he saw Hilary Knight returning to the bar to finish the round of shots they had just been doing.

The owner of F1 came over and introduced himself to the two Patriots players and Kyle took some pictures. Needless to say, the hits on social media that night were unbelievable and the owner more than got his fair share of publicity in their arrangement. And the party got kicked up a notch once Julian and Danny arrived. They worked their way through many of the games, playing against Ashlyn and Hilary, as everybody else followed them around and cheered. 

“Can you believe this is your life Alibaba?” Sydney asked her as they perched on two chairs at one of the high top tables near the bar. “I mean, NFL superstar at your Jill & Jill party? Seriously?”

“No” she chuckled and rolled her eyes. “This just seems crazy to me.” She took a minute and looked around the huge space to see where everybody was. “It feels awesome and I’m so happy we could surprise Ash with her family. Thanks for all your help with that.” Ali took another minute to watch the most important people in her life eating and drinking and laughing. 

“What’s going on with you?” Sydney asked, seeing sadness or something like it cross her best friend’s face for a fleeting second before she forced her face back into a smile.

“Oh, nothing” the brunette sighed and smiled half-heartedly at the coach. “Really, I’m good. I’m so happy.”

“But you’re afraid something’s going to happen to wreck everything.” Sydney reached across the table and took Ali’s clammy hand in hers. “You think you’re too happy and something bad will have to happen to balance it back out.”

Ali sat there with her mouth open, stunned that Sydney had just described exactly what she had been struggling with that night.

“How... how did you know?” she stammered and leaned in closer to her best friend. “I just barely figured it out myself!”

“Kriegs, I know you boo” Sydney said with a warm smile. “You always do this with the really important things.”

“Do what? What do you mean?”

“I mean, if something is really important to you, then you do this. You worry about something terrible happening and you prepare yourself for it, just in case. That way, if something shitty does happen, you’re ready for it. You’ve always done it.”

Ali scrunched her face up as she tried to think of another time that she had done this.

“Remember the N’Sync concert freshman year?” Sydney asked with a small grin.

“Yeah, duh, best night of our lives up to that point” Ali chuckled.

“You spent the whole week before convinced that it was going to get cancelled. Remember?”

The brunette grimaced as her fourteen year old self appeared in her mind’s eye. She had obsessed over Justin Timberlake’s health. There had been an article about his sore throat and Ali had immediately gone into crisis mode about the concert getting cancelled.

“And what about senior prom?” Sydney quirked her eyebrow at her troubled best friend. “You were sure Jimmy was going to ruin the night we had planned. You got into a fight with him about it before it even happened” Sydney giggled and grinned. “Do you remember that?”

“Yes, God. That was so stupid” Ali shook her head and laughed softly as she took another drink of her rum & coke. “Jimmy Abban” she sighed. “I haven’t thought about him in forever. And he did ruin the whole night!”

“Yeah he sure did” the coach threw her head back and laughed out loud. “He did you a favor getting drunk and passing out boo, you didn’t want your first time to be with him anyway. He didn’t deserve you.”

They were quiet for a few minutes and Ali thought back to her time in college and came up with a couple more examples of times where she worried to the extreme about something that had been important to her. She finished her drink and caught Sydney’s eye. Ali got off of her stool and went and hugged her best friend tightly.

“I totally do that. Holy shit, you’re amazing Syd” Ali said from inside the tight hug.

“I just don’t see what good it does. I understand being prepared for something and making plans for something. But you go past that sometimes. And if you mix in your other relationship stuff it can be a really toxic brew.” Sydney kept holding the brunette in their hug even though she knew Ali was ready for it to end. “But maybe this time you should try and focus on just the happy stuff.” She let Ali go but the brunette stayed close, knowing there was more to come. “Don’t give away your happiness. You keep it for yourself. Don’t waste it worrying and fretting. You’ve more than earned it Al. Just be happy and don’t worry about the rest. Can you do that for me?”

Both women had tears in their eyes as they shared one of the sweetest moments of their friendship. Sydney reached out and wiped away the tear that fell down the brunette’s cheek. They smiled at each other and chuckled together as they hugged again.

“I love you so much Sydney Rae” Ali whispered over the coach’s shoulder. “You’re going to be the best fucking mom.”

A big group descended on the nearby bar for more shots and the two best friends were engulfed by friends and family and laughter. The rest of the night was ridiculously fun. It was one of those parties where nobody pissed anybody off. No-one got so drunk they were obnoxious. There was no drama. It was amazing. In the wee hours of the morning Ali and Ashlyn stood arm in arm by the front entrance saying goodbye to the last of their guests. They were both drunk, Ashlyn more so than Ali, but not by much. The couple pulled together into a hug and then a slow kiss as they waited for Chris to drive them back home. 

“I still can’t believe you cheated like that” Ashlyn mumbled against her fiancée’s soft lips. “Not cool Krieger.”

Ali pulled back slightly and feigned offense. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. It’s not my fault you can’t concentrate on where to put the puck babe” she teased with a wicked smirk.

“Oh I know where to put the puck. But I can’t even see the fucking puck when you flash me like that” Ashlyn griped, shaking her head and sending a hard look at the brunette in her arms. “You know how much I love that” she dropped her eyes down to Ali’s crotch and pulled the brunette tight against her strong thigh.

They had been playing air hockey towards the end of the night and Ashlyn was beating the brunette. The table was in one of the few corners of the complex and Ali had her back to rest of the room. As the blonde lined up her shot, Ali had lifted the front of her dress up and rubbed her clit through her pretty pink panties. The keeper’s shot left the table and the plastic puck went about twenty feet past the sexy brunette and onto one of the nearby pool tables. 

“Yes, I know” Ali laughed a low, throaty chuckle as she pressed herself against her keeper’s thigh. “Why do you think I did it?”

“Oh, so you admit cheating?” Ashlyn challenged as she moved her lips to Ali’s inviting neck, making the brunette moan.

“It was just payback for making me soak through two pairs of panties in one fucking day.”

They sat close together on the ride home, enjoying the alcohol in their systems and the feel of their hands on each other’s thighs. Ali thought about trying to keep her happiness instead of worrying it away. She hoped that now that she was aware that she did that, maybe she could bring a stop to it. Ashlyn thought about her family surprising her at the party. She would never get tired of that. They had worked so hard to become a family again that they truly appreciated those moments even more. It had been a remarkably fun night and they felt blessed and lucky and grateful to have so much love surrounding them.


	16. The Horribles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I had a family thing come up and I couldn't go to DC for the She Believes games this afternoon and tonight. I was pretty bummed about it but life happens sometimes. I was able to give my tickets to one of you wonderful readers and that made me very happy. Unfortunately, everything else about that game was just terrible. I still can't believe what I watched tonight. And what the fuck is Jill Ellis' problem? She can't put Kriegs in the game in her home freaking town? Not even for the last ten minutes?! I'm so disappointed by that. Poor Ali with all of her friends and family there to support her and that's how Ellis plays it. Remember in the Victory Tour when she moved Klingenberg up to play midfield so she could score a goal in front of her hometown in Pittsburgh? Yeah, me too. 
> 
> Ok, anyway, I've been seething for a couple of hours now and I almost forgot to post a chapter. Enjoy!

“Gram!” Ashlyn yelped in surprise and pulled the sheet up to her neck the next morning as her 83 year old grandmother knocked once and walked into the master bedroom from the second floor hallway.

It was just after 9am and the couple was enjoying another round of sex after the rushed and slightly drunken sex from earlier that morning when they had finally made it to their bed. The keeper was on her back, completely naked, with Ali half on top of her. The brunette, also completely naked, had her face pressed into Ashlyn’s breast and her right hand buried between the blonde’s spread-eagled legs.

“I’m sorry to intrude ladies, but Beth needs to use the bathroom and this is the only free one in the house” Gram said as she marched into the room, Beth lumbering behind her, turned to her left and walked by the foot of the bed on her way to the master bathroom door. “Pregnant women always come first” she preached as Beth rushed past her into the bathroom and closed the door behind her.

Ali hadn’t moved a muscle and was just thankful that the blonde had pulled the sheet to cover them both up so quickly. Her right hand was still inside her fiancée. She was too embarrassed to even stick her head out of the sheet, choosing, instead to rest it right where it was on Ashlyn’s beautiful breast. She was trying hard to get her heart to calm down and to ignore the keeper’s stiff nipple that was poking into her cheek. 

“Ok, well of course, anything Beth needs” Ashlyn said weakly, not sure what to do in that awkward situation. 

Gram stood by the dressing table near the bathroom door and took in the rest of the room. The clothes both women had been wearing the night before were strewn haphazardly all around the room. Ali’s bra hung off the back of the dressing table chair right next to Gram and Ashlyn’s sexy pink boyshorts were on the corner of the bed right in front of the grinning old woman. Ashlyn watched her grandmother surveying the room and was thankful that they had been in too big of a rush to get out any of their toys.

“Can she breathe under there?” Gram teased and chuckled as she pointed at Ali’s form lying deathly still underneath the sheet.

“Apparently so” Ashlyn giggled back at her grandmother with a shy smile on her face.

“Oh my God” Ali muttered from her hiding place.

Both Gram and Ashlyn laughed out loud when they heard her and the keeper patted Ali’s butt, outside the sheet.

“You can come out you know” the blonde giggled. “She knows you’re there.”

“Nope, I’m never going to be able to look at you ever again Gram.” Ali groaned and poked her fiancée hard in the side with her unoccupied hand. 

“Ow!” Ashlyn yelped at the poke and moved suddenly to sit up more, causing the brunette’s fingers to slide out of the keeper’s soaked core. “Oh!” she exclaimed as she felt her pussy twitch at the movement.

“Oh my God” the brunette groaned again as they all heard the sloshing sound from between Ashlyn’s legs.

Thankfully the toilet in the bathroom flushed a few seconds later and then they heard the sink before Beth opened the door with a look of utter relief on her face.

“I’m so sorry you guys, I really thought my bladder was going to explode.”

“Don’t you worry about a thing honey” Gram said as Beth started walking quickly towards the hallway door. 

The old woman followed her and, as she passed by the foot of the bed again, patted Ali’s leg under the sheet.

“Don’t forget to come up for air soon honey” she teased and winked at her granddaughter.

//

The big old house was indeed full. Gram had taken the guest room. Beth and Chris were in the front bedroom. Deb and Tammye took the twin beds in Meg’s room. And Mike slept on the pull-out couch up in the office. Everybody admired the studio and the new fence around the backyard. And of course the puppies were everyone’s favorite new addition to the home.

Gloucester’s 4th of July tradition was called ‘The Fish Town Horribles Parade’ and it was held a day or two before the 4th, depending on the weather. It was always before the actual 4th of July and usually ended up being on July 2nd or 3rd. It started at 5pm at the high school and wound its’ way down to, and all along, the waterfront and then back up and around to finish again at the high school. The parade was followed by a free concert down by the waterfront and then the festivities finished with a spectacular fireworks show over Gloucester Harbor once it got dark around 9pm. The Horribles Parade had started back in the 1920s and both the sponsorship and the route had changed several times over the years. By the time Ashlyn and Chris started visiting their grandparents in 1992, the route had been finalized and both Harrises remembered it well. Ashlyn hadn’t spent the 4th of July in Gloucester either of the two previous years. The first year she owned the house she was living in the apartment with Whitney while the big old house was renovated. She had gone, at the last minute, to the party in Boston with Ali, Kyle and their friends. That was the night that Ali fell in love with her keeper. Last year, 2016, the Breakers had an away game in Seattle and Ashlyn got home just in time to accompany Ali to the same roofdeck party. This year, the keeper swore to herself when she saw the Breakers schedule with a home game on July 5th, that she was taking Ali to the Horribles Parade no matter what. 

The Horribles Parade was on Sunday July 2nd that year and everybody went. Chris was excited to share the special day with Beth too. He and his sister kept exchanging excited looks all day long as they looked forward to one of their fondest childhood memories. Ali and Ashlyn wanted everybody to come over and hang out at the beach and at the big old house for the afternoon, before the parade. Niki and Molly came up and brought Noah. Sydney and Dom came up too, as did Ken, Vicki and the boys. Ali made sure Sydney brought Boss and her dad brought Apollo. They were still trying to make sure the puppies got socialized with other dogs as well as other people.

It was a hectic but fun day. Ali was more than happy to be busy because she was still dying of embarrassment about Gram’s interruption that morning. She spent the rest of the day avoiding the kind old woman and running from room to room whenever anyone began teasing her about it. Kyle had been the biggest problem for her. As soon as Chris told him what had happened he was merciless in his torture. His logic was that he would tease her so much that she would just have to accept it for the hilarious story that it was, as everybody else had already done, or he would harden her to her own mortified feelings. Either way, he calculated, he was helping her get over it. Right after lunch Ali was in the backyard with the puppies filling up the kiddie pool for the dogs. She wanted to have it ready to go, even though none of the extra guests had shown up yet, because it was already hot and humid. Whitney, Deb and Beth were sitting in the backyard playing with the puppies when Kyle walked through the gate by the driveway.

“There she is, trying to wash some of the shame off of herself” he joked and laughed out loud. 

Everybody laughed because it was funny and even Ali chuckled a little bit. He walked to the other side of the yard, by the big huge rock, so he could get the puppies to chase him around a bit. The brunette eyed him warily, waiting for the next punch in his hours long onslaught to land.

“So when we go swimming now does that mean you won’t need any snorkel gear anymore?” he set up the next joke with a wicked glint in his eye. “You know, because Gram gave you tips on going down and staying under for so long...”

Whitney laughed out loud, even though she was trying to behave herself because she understood perfectly well how shy Ali was on the subject. Deb snorted and Beth just sat there with a disbelieving look on her face before joining Whitney’s laughter.

“That’s it!” Ali boomed as the puppies retreated towards Whitney in fear. “I’ve had enough out of you, you big jerk!”

The brunette was furious and her brother knew he was in real trouble as he started to back away, moving towards the side of the yard. Ali yanked the hose to loosen up some slack and adjusted the nozzle to its’ hardest setting. She was so focused on her methodical attack preparation that she didn’t see everybody else gathering at the kitchen and nook windows on the back of the house to watch the showdown.

“I’m sick of your bullshit Kyle!” she yelled as she stalked towards him, moving sideways across the backyard. “Like you’ve never been caught in a compromising position” she barked out at him as she aimed the nozzle and continued her march.

“Ok, ok” he laughed nervously and raised his hands in surrender, realizing how pissed off his sister actually was.

“I’m embarrassed enough! I don’t need you bringing it up every fucking five minutes!”

“Ok, alright! I was just trying to tease you out of it...” he had backed himself up against the big huge rock and was completely at Ali’s mercy.

She lifted the nozzle up and smirked at him. He knew in that instant that he wasn’t going to get out of the situation dry. He tossed his phone high in the air towards Nico who had come out the door by the nook to get a better view. Before the phone was even caught the brunette blasted her brother in the chest with a powerful spray of water.

“What was that?” she put her other hand behind her ear and leaned forward, pretending she couldn’t hear him. “I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you. Jackass.” 

She blasted him again and watched as he squirmed sideways to get out of the painful stream of water. She moved the spray up and down his back, moving his t-shirt up higher until it stuck to his skin by his shoulder blades. He turned back around and started to walk towards his sister, one hand out in front of him trying to deflect the water that just kept coming, and the other hand protectively over his crotch. 

“Where do you think you’re going, funny man?” she yelled, still pissed off. “Is it still funny?”

Ali moved the spray down to his bare feet, making him jump up to keep the painful blast off of his toes.

“Ow!” he yelped and stopped moving forward. “Cut it out.”

But the brunette channeled all of her embarrassment and frustration into the powerful stream of water and hit him again in the stomach. He tried to back up and slipped on the wet grass, landing on his butt with a splash. There was a red mark on his abs from the last burst and when she saw it she took a step backwards. She was mad but she didn’t actually want to hurt him. Even though he did deserve it after teasing her almost constantly for over two hours straight.

“Alright! I’m sorry!” he yelled out from his helpless position on the ground. “I’ll stop! I won’t do it again.” 

“I swear to God Kyle...” she started threateningly.

“I know!” 

Deb stood up to intervene but was beaten to the rescue by Fred. The friendly caramel puppy ambled over to Kyle with his adorable little tail wagging. Persey followed but stood between Ali’s legs, wondering what the new game was. Kyle saw his sister move the stream away from Fred and picked the puppy up and used him as a shield. The pup licked his bearded face and kept wagging his tail.

“Oh very nice” she shook her head disdainfully at her older brother. “Use the helpless puppy to defend yourself. Typical.”

She released the handle of the nozzle and the water stopped. She kept it pointed at him as she spoke.

“Not another word about this morning. Not one more fucking word!” Her eyes were burning with fury as she spat the words at him. “Got it?”

“Yeah, I got it” he replied, defeated, and stood up.

“And put my damned dog down.”

He complied and glanced over at Nico only to discover that he had filmed the whole thing. As his attention was pulled away for a minute he felt another blast of water, not quite as hard, hit him in his arm.

“Jerk” Ali said dismissively as she turned around and walked back to finish filling the kiddie pool, Persey and Fred following her and barking at the hose as it moved through the grass.

“Atta girl” Gram said quietly from inside the kitchen window as she watched Ali smirk to herself. 

“I’ve gotta remember not to ever make her that mad” Ashlyn said, standing next to her grandmother, eyes wide. “I’d like to keep the skin on my body, thank you very much.”

The parade was a big parade. Those in the group who were unfamiliar with it were surprised at how long it was. There were over 100 entrants, or ‘horribles’, in the parade. Almost sixty floats and over a dozen different marching bands. They were all very professional and serious about appearing in the parade. Some of the floats threw candy to the crowds and both Ashlyn and Chris told stories about how they used to try to run alongside the one float that threw candy back in the day. Somehow Chris always collected more candy than his sister. The keeper made sure Gram could see and told her all about what she remembered growing up. Tammye, who never talked much about her childhood, found herself opening up with her own memories of the parade. Ashlyn shared a smile with her dad, remembering how thankful he had been the previous summer when the blonde had filled in some of the family history holes for her mother. Even though they were divorced and there was no way they were ever going to get back together, Tammye and Mike had grown enough as recovered addicts and human beings to want only good things for each other. They had been through, and put each other through, a lot of terrible things over the years. The whole family considered it a major achievement that weekends like the one they were currently enjoying could even take place. They were sharing the same house for Christ’s sake. Who ever thought that would be possible? 

“Thank you so much for this weekend honey” Ashlyn said quietly into Ali’s ear.

The keeper was standing behind her fiancée with her arms around her waist and her chin on her shoulder as they watched the parade move past them.

“I’m just glad they could all make it” Ali replied, turning her head towards the blonde so she could hear her answer amidst the hoopla all around them.

“I can’t think of a better way to spend the day. Everything has been perfect” the keeper said and nuzzled Ali’s neck. “Well, except I’d start the day a little bit more privately.”

“Ugh don’t remind me” Ali closed her eyes and whined. “I may never get over that as long as I live. And we’re getting locks on the doors.”

Ashlyn chuckled and squeezed the brunette closer to her, loving the lingering smell of her shampoo mixed with the beach and a little bit of sweat.

“I love you so much Alexandra.” She kissed Ali’s cheek. “Thank you for letting me share the Horribles Parade with you this year. It means a lot to me.”

Ali turned her head again and pursed her lips, waiting for the keeper to kiss them. 

“Thank you sweetheart” she answered after the sweet kiss. “For sharing your family and your memories and your heart with me.” 

The large group headed back to the big old house after the parade, opting not to watch the local band perform a few cover tunes. They were going to watch the fireworks from home anyway and wanted to make sure they got back in time to get set up. Gloucester Harbor was about ten miles away from the big old house, as the crow flies. There was nothing but houses between 6 Beach Road and Gloucester Harbor. They were all planning to sit in the backyard and watch the sky. Sydney was curious if the view from Ali’s third floor office would be any better and she sent Dom up to check it out. She and her husband had stayed at the house and skipped the parade because Sydney was pretty uncomfortable in her 7th month of pregnancy. She couldn’t believe that Beth had flown up for the weekend, or that she had let Chris take her to the parade. Beth was either really strong and brave or really stupid. The truth was that Beth’s pregnancy had been a dream come true. She had very little morning sickness and it was gone almost by the time she realized she was pregnant. Beth had very few physical complaints. She was hungrier and more tired than ever before, but that was it. Sydney’s experience had been very different. She had terrible morning sickness that had lasted almost three full months. Her back had been constantly sore since about week eighteen. She felt like a zombie most of the time because she was so exhausted. And the two most recent developments were hemorrhoids and permanently swollen feet. Even in the morning after lying prone all night her feet were too swollen to fit into any of her shoes. 

Ali watched the different progression of each pregnancy carefully. Beth’s gave her hope and confidence that she could carry a child to term and give birth like a champion. It was scary, but do-able. Sydney’s experience absolutely terrified the brunette. It was everything she had ever feared come to life in her poor, pathetic best friend’s body. Ali knew she wanted to have a baby sooner rather than later. She was turning 33 later that month and she wanted to have her babies before she turned 40 if she could. She never wanted to be one of those moms who was close to retirement age by the time their child left for college. She and Ashlyn hadn’t talked specifics about getting pregnant yet but the brunette knew that once they were married it would be the next step.

As everyone settled into lawn chairs and lay on blankets in the backyard to watch the fireworks, Ali and Ashlyn moved among them making sure everybody was comfortable. The dark sky had just lit up with the first firework as the couple got themselves situated on the edge of the blanket that Whitney, Niki, Molly and a sleeping Noah were sharing. Ashlyn was on her back and Ali curled into her side, left hand softly rubbing the blonde’s stomach as they gazed up at the spectacle over Gloucester Harbor. When the second firework exploded high in the sky Boss came running from the other side of the yard and jumped up into Sydney’s lap with a welp. He was shaking like a leaf even as the coach held him tightly and spoke soothingly to him. Ashlyn looked at her fiancée and they both got up on their elbows to look for their puppies. It had never occurred to them that they might be afraid of the fireworks. 

“Fred’s good” the keeper said quietly. “He’s sacked out with your mom.”

“Look at Persey” Ali replied, nodding towards Chris. “She’s watching the show” the brunette chuckled as they settled back into their original position on the blanket.

The dark, brindled puppy was sitting in the crook of Chris’ big arm, leaning back against his chest with her head up towards the dark sky. Chris was sitting in a beach chair, gently rubbing her chest with one hand and holding Beth’s hand with the other. His smile covered his entire face. And big Apollo was comfortably sprawled out between Kyle and Ken on another blanket. He didn’t like the fireworks, his ears were back and he looked around nervously after each boom, but he was content with both men calmly patting him.

Dom rejoined them, taking his chair next to his wife’s, and reporting that you could see farther up on the third floor, but not higher. The backyard was the best viewing spot for sure. He reached over and held Sydney’s hand as he settled into place.

“It feels like these fireworks are just for us” Ashlyn said softly and kissed the top of Ali’s head. “For our party...for us.” 

The blonde was overwhelmed by her emotions. The sudden surprise of her family at the party the night before. The love and friendship from all of her teammates and other friends who had attended the party. The special memories of the parade and the sheer joy that filled her from sharing those memories with her family and the woman she loved. The puppies adjusting so quickly to the new and loud experience, and the way their families looked out for and loved the two newest additions to their household. And the babies. Ashlyn couldn’t be sure if it was because of sweet little Noah or the two very pregnant women sitting close by, but she couldn’t get the thought of babies out of her head as she lay there watching those fireworks. She wanted to have children so badly she couldn’t believe it. All her life she had heard about women and their biological clocks ticking uncontrollably but she never really thought that would happen to her. The keeper had thought the new puppies would sate her hunger to have a baby, but it only made it stronger. It felt like caring for the puppies had triggered even more intense maternal yearnings in the blonde. Ashlyn wasn’t sure how to tell her fiancée about it without putting extra pressure on her. She knew Ali was stretched thin working two jobs and that she was planning to get her MBA next year so she could feel more comfortable running things at Knight-Harris. It just wasn’t the right time to jump into having a baby. Hell, the puppies weren’t even all the way trained yet.

“Hey” Ali whispered and turned her face up towards the blonde’s.

Ashlyn tilted her face down to look at her beautiful fiancée. “What’s up?”

“What are you thinking about?” the brunette asked as she moved her left hand up to stroke Ashlyn’s cheek. “Your heart’s racing like crazy.”

“Aw it’s nothing honey” she answered, leaning down to kiss Ali’s lips. “I’m just excited about our weekend.”

“And...” the brunette pressed her for more.

“And our future I guess” Ashlyn answered sheepishly.

“I can’t wait to marry you” Ali said, her voice full of emotion.

“Me too baby. Me too.”

//

The Breakers were scheduled to play three games in ten days. The game in North Carolina the day before the Jill & Jill party, 6/30, then a home game against the Spirit on Wednesday 7/5, then an away game in Seattle on Sunday 7/9. Because of the tight schedule their training was light that week, just a morning training Monday and Tuesday, recovery on Thursday, and then morning training again on Friday and Saturday before they flew to Seattle. The Harris clan was staying to watch the game on Wednesday night and then leaving Thursday afternoon. Deb, Kyle and Nico were all going home Monday afternoon. 

It was late Sunday night, well past midnight, and Ashlyn had woken up wondering if the house was locked up or not. She was sure she had locked everything and set the alarm but she found herself unable to fall back to sleep without checking the front door. She went as quietly as she could down the back stairs and through the first floor to the front door. As she put her hand on the lock to make sure, she saw something move past one of the big floor to ceiling windows overlooking the front porch. Her heart pounded as she tried to think of a weapon she could grab. She peered out the window and exhaled several quiet curse words as she saw Kyle sitting on the front steps of her porch.

“What are you doing out here?” she asked as she sat down next to him.

“Nice jammies” he teased as he noticed her shark themed boxer briefs and t-shirt.

“Shut up. It’s shark week” she replied indignantly. “And quit dodging the question.”

“Oh you know, just taking a little midnight stroll” he answered sarcastically and took a drink from his water bottle.

“Everything ok at the hotel? Or in the hotel?” the keeper pried a little more than she usually would.

She had noticed, and she and Ali had talked about, how quiet Nico had been at the party Saturday night and then again at the house during the day Sunday. He had skipped the parade, saying he wasn’t feeling well, and Kyle had stayed behind to take him back to the hotel. They returned for the fireworks though and seemed to be fine after that. When Kyle still wouldn’t answer her, Ashlyn asked again.

“Are things ok with you and Nico?”

Kyle sighed heavily and looked down at his hands as he tried to decide if he wanted to talk about it or not. A few more minutes of silence went by and the blonde was just about to get up and go back to bed.

“I don’t know what to do Ash.” Kyle’s voice was quiet and serious. He was quiet for another minute before continuing. “He doesn’t love me enough but I don’t think I’m strong enough to end it.”

“That sucks” the keeper replied honestly and put her arm around his broad shoulders. “I’m sorry man.”

“Thanks” Kyle whimpered, trying to hold back his tears.

Ashlyn’s heart broke for her soon to be brother-in-law. She wasn’t sure what to say and contemplated just not saying anything at all. But she couldn’t just let him sit there hurting.

“What makes you think he doesn’t love you enough? What’s changed since I saw you guys three months ago for the marathon shoot?”

“Oh it’s a bunch of things, really” Kyle started to slowly explain. “I can feel him pulling away from me, from us. It’s happened to me before with other boyfriends. All of a sudden they’re just not around as much, and they don’t listen as well or talk as much or care as much.” Kyle took a deep breath and let it out loudly as he closed his eyes. “I can feel him struggling to stay in it.”

“Well that’s good that he wants to stay, isn’t it?” Ashlyn asked cautiously. She really didn’t know this man well enough to be having this conversation with him. She wondered if she should go get Ali.

“Not if he’s staying because he feels bad about it. I only want him to stay if he wants to. I don’t want his pity and guilt” he lifted his red eyes and meekly looked at the keeper.

“No, that’s not right” she replied with more emotion than either of them expected. Ashlyn couldn’t help but hear the similarity of Kyle’s situation and Sarah’s situation from last year with Ali. “If he’s dumb enough to not see what a great guy you are and if he can’t recognize how lucky he is to have you then he needs to get gone. Right the fuck now.” 

Kyle smiled softly and then tried to fight off more tears. His face fell and Ashlyn pulled him into a hug, rubbing his back and slowly swaying them from side to side as they hugged for several more minutes.

“I know this break-up is going to hit you hard but you have to know it’s not you. It’s not because you’re not good enough or worthy enough” she encouraged with her chin on his strong shoulder as they kept hugging. “I mean it. You’re one of the best people I’ve ever met and fuck him if he doesn’t see that. But somebody else will. I promise you, some great guy is going to come along and appreciate you for all the wonderful things you are. I just know it.”

“Hey.”

They both turned towards the front door to see Ali moving towards them, big brown eyes brimming with tears and arms outstretched. They pulled apart and let her hug them both as she kissed her brother on the cheek. They moved into the living room and snuggled up on the couch under one of Gram’s afghans to talk more about it. When Kyle went to the bathroom Ali turned to Ashlyn.

“I don’t want him to go back to the hotel tonight. I don’t want Nico to have one more minute of his time” the brunette said defiantly.

“I’ll go grab a couple of pillows and another blanket so you guys can sleep down here tonight, ok?” the blonde gave her girl a soft kiss and got up off the couch.

“You’re the best babe” Ali said sincerely as she held onto her keeper’s hand. “Thank you. And thank you for being so good with him tonight. I can’t tell you how great it felt to find you guys like that. Except for the reason, obviously.” She shook her head. “I love you so much honey.”


	17. 4th of July on the Esplanade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut warning

It was Mike’s first visit to the big old house and he was very impressed with it. Chris had taken over as his own personal tour guide when he wasn’t waiting on Beth. He took his father down to the waterfront and showed him all the places that Grandpa John used to take him and talked about all of the shipbuilding and sailmaking things they used to talk about during his summer visits. Neither man expected it, but they bonded in a new way during those three days. 

Tuesday was the actual 4th of July and, on a whim, Mike and Chris decided that they wanted to go into Boston and do the whole extravaganza on the Esplanade during the day and watch the Boston Pops concert on the Hatch Shell and experience the fireworks right there by the Charles River with the 500,000 other crazy Bostonians. Ali and Ashlyn looked at each other across the nook Tuesday morning as they all discussed the spur of the moment plan. The couple had wanted to do the same thing together but thought maybe next year it would work out. It wasn’t every year that Ashlyn’s schedule allowed it to be a possibility. Ali had, of course, done the big day a few times before and the 4th of July was her favorite holiday so she was definitely up for it.

“But not everybody would be able to go” Ashlyn started.

“Oh don’t worry about me” Beth said quickly. “Honestly, I’ll enjoy a nice, quiet day with cute puppies in this beautiful house” she chuckled and kissed Chris’ cheek from her seat next to him in the nook. “It’ll be like a vacation in a vacation.”

“I’ll pass too” Tammye added. “I like Beth’s version of the day much better to be honest” she grinned and got up to start clearing some dishes off the breakfast table.

“Make that three of us then” Gram chimed in. “I’ll watch the show on the tv like I do every year.”

“I’m out too” Whitney agreed. “Some of us actually have to use our legs during the games” she teased the keeper as she carried more plates towards the kitchen. “Hurry up or we’ll be late for training.”

Plans were quickly made and everybody jumped into motion to get where they needed to be on time. 

“Are you sure this is ok honey?” the blonde asked her fiancée as she hugged her goodbye outside the mudroom door. “I feel bad leaving them behind.”

“They’re doing what they want with their day babe. Which one of them do you think is afraid to tell us what they want?” Ali kissed her keeper’s lips and smiled as they hugged. “I’ll call Kyle and see if one of his friends has a spot carved out at the Hatch Shell yet. Maybe we can add on and get an awesome spot.”

“Ok, just text me where to meet you after training.”

Nathan Kimball, it seemed, was the answer to all of Ali’s dreams that summer. She smiled appreciatively as she ended her phone call with her brother later that morning. He was one of Kyle’s oldest friends. He was the closest thing to a Sydney that the elder Krieger sibling had. In addition to hooking Knight-Harris Company up with their awesome summer intern the month before, his little brother Jared, Nathan was also willing to share their hard-fought blanket space at the Hatch Shell with them for the long haul. And it was going to be a long haul. To “do the 4th” on the Esplanade was an all-day event. It took planning, communication and endurance or you’d never make it to the Boston Pops concert, forget about the fireworks at the end of it. People starting jousting for blanket spots on the grass at the crack of dawn when they allowed entrance to the area. Once you had your spot you had to defend it from encroaching blankets and usurpers. You couldn’t just nap either, you had to be vigilant or your 10 feet by 10 feet spot could become an 8 feet by 8 feet spot in the blink of an eye. And once you had lost the yardage there was no way to reclaim it. Nathan and a few of his friends fought the battle every year, rain or shine, and they were really good at it. They knew all the ins and outs, like where some of the high spots were on the lawn so if it did rain their blankets stayed dry the longest. 

On the drive in Ali told the two Harris men all about what to expect. It was going to be a good weather day, thankfully, so they wouldn’t need rain gear. The downside to that was that they would have to be smart about spending all day long in the direct sun. Somehow she knew the two lifelong Florida residents would be able to handle that. They parked at the commuter rail station near Ali’s old house in Stoneham and took the train into the city. After a couple of transfers on the below ground subway they walked a few blocks through the city and over to the Esplanade, along the Charles River. Thousands of people were already there. The city was packed. It was nearly impossible to find Nathan’s group in the sea of blankets already filling the space outside the Hatch Shell.

“You made it!” Nathan said excitedly as he stood up to hug Ali hello just before noon. “It’s so good to see you Ali” he said softly as they hugged.

“You too Nate” she answered, using the nickname they used to call him when they were in high school. “Thank you so much for letting us crash. I owe you bigtime and I won’t forget it.”

“Nah, you’re taking care of Jared this summer. We’re more than even” he grinned as they pulled apart.

Ali introduced Mike and Chris and then they all met a couple of Nathan’s friends who were there. A few more friends were out and about enjoying the area while they waited for the concert to start at 8:00pm. They defended the spot in shifts. Two hours at a time, three people in the spot at all times. It was a tried and true system. If they got lucky somebody next to them would shift a little bit and they would be able to expand their space some to make more room for the extra Harris contingent. Ali had forgotten how much she liked Nathan. He had always been her favorite of Kyle’s friends. He had earned her undying respect and admiration for kicking Kyle’s ass when he started to go down the wrong path after high school. They stopped being friends for a couple of years because of it. But Nathan was the first of Kyle’s ‘old friends’ to come to his aid once he decided to get clean and stay clean. Kyle once told Ali that he had grown to hate Nathan because he was brave enough to be gay in high school and it made his own weakness and frailty all too obvious. Ali always thought Nathan would have been Kyle’s first love if he had been brave enough to come out. They were still very close and the brunette secretly hoped they would find their way back to each other if their timing ever worked out. But it never had. Maybe it never would.

What Ali hadn’t thought to worry about that day was the fact that Mike and Chris might be uncomfortable in a group of seven gay guys. Even though they were fine with Ashlyn being a lesbian, and they really, truly were fine with it, there were some guys who just couldn’t make the jump to being ok with gay guys. Chris had met Kyle the summer before at Ali’s birthday party and they had hit it off pretty quickly. They were both friendly and funny and loved to tease their sisters. Mike had just met Kyle this past weekend for the first time and had seemed a little stiff. Ashlyn told Ali it was just the generational thing. Men Mike’s age, 55 years old, usually had a more difficult time wrapping their heads around something they had been taught their whole lives was so different and wrong. Oh well, Ali thought to herself as she settled on one of the corners of the blanket, he’s going to get an eyeful today.

Ashlyn showed up shortly thereafter, dropping her small backpack on the blanket and greeting everybody. She led her brother and father over towards Boston Common so they could eat lunch at the Bull & Finch Tavern which was where all the ‘Cheers’ exterior shots were filmed. The younger Harrises had always wanted to go there when they were younger and never had, and Mike thought it would be cool too. Ali warned her fiancée that the only thing that looked like the ‘Cheers’ tv show was the outside. Nothing on the inside looked anything like it. It was still one of the most popular tourist destinations in the entire city. The brunette stayed behind to take a shift on the blanket. She couldn’t very well just drop in and then waltz off like that. That’s not how it worked. She pulled out a sandwich she had made at home and offered another one to Nathan who took it gladly.

After spending most of the afternoon sightseeing around Boston, the three Harrises came back to the blanket, which had expanded by a foot in one direction and two feet in another, at about 6pm. Ashlyn brought everybody some glow-in-the-dark plastic necklaces and patriotic scarves and bandanas. She wanted to do something nice for their blanket hosts but you weren’t allowed to bring a lot of things onto the Esplanade because of security.

“What, did you buy out an entire souvenir cart from Fanueil Hall or something?” Ali teased as she pulled her girl into a hug and followed it with a slow kiss. “I missed you” she breathed out at the end of the kiss.

“Pretty much” the blonde grinned at all the crap she had bought and given out. “I wanted to thank Nathan and his friends for letting us hone in on their day and they check you for all the fun stuff at security” she held Ali tightly and lifted her off the ground in another hug. “I missed you too baby.”

The group killed the last two hours of time by playing cards and telling stories and getting their face paint and patriotic attire put on. A couple of the guys were really flamboyant and very funny. They wore patriotic capes and top hats and one dressed up as Uncle Sam. Another of Nathan’s friends came back to the blanket in full make-up, dressed in a red, white and blue sequin dress and six inch heels. It was quite a menagerie of colorful, passionate, patriotic expression and the television cameras eventually found the sequin dress and the rest of their blanket. A couple of the local news stations stopped by for interviews. Ashlyn hung back a bit, not wanting to steal their thunder, but someone working the second camera crew recognized her and stuck a microphone in her face. She was wearing a glow-in-the-dark necklace, black sleeveless t-shirt and camouflage shorts. She had American flag eyeblacks under her eyes and she looked like she had been out in the sun all day. Her hair was up in a messy bun surrounded by a tall, grey foam statue of liberty crown. She had her arm around her dad on one side and Ali on the other, with Chris on the other side of the brunette. The reporter asked her who she was celebrating the day with and she introduced her family and then moved the camera’s attention back to their new friends giving them a shout out for welcoming her visiting family on such short notice that day. The keeper got in a shameless plug for the Breakers home game the next evening, telling everybody to get a ticket and get to the pitch. She finished with a heartfelt thank you to all of the military personnel who protect the rest of us every single day. Her voice broke a little towards the end as she got emotional and her father looked at her with such pride and adoration. It was a nice moment and the three Harris women, and Whitney, back at the big old house all wiped away a few tears as they watched it on tv.

Once the concert started, the national broadcast occasionally used one of the live camera shots of Ashlyn’s group during different parts of the three hour show. One of the shots towards the end of the show was of their whole group with Ashlyn hugging Ali from behind as they watched the fireworks overhead. The brunette’s head was leaning back against the keeper’s shoulder and they both had beautiful smiles across their faces. It would turn out to be one of their very favorite 4th of July celebrations ever.

//

Wednesday morning after breakfast Ashlyn was stretched out on the couch in the living room with both puppies, one on each side of her lap. She was finally getting to watch some of her shark week shows that she had DVR’d while Ali massaged her weary legs, propped up on the coffee table. The potent massage oil permeated the room. Whitney, Gram, Tammye and Beth were all sitting with them pretending to enjoy the show. Mike and Chris were cleaning up the kitchen and doing the dishes.

“So which room was yours again Tammye?” Whitney asked from her spot in the recliner which she had turned to face the couch area. “I can’t remember.”

Ali’s curiosity was piqued too and she kicked herself for not asking the same question sooner. She had gotten a rough outline of how Grandma Lilian had used the rooms in the house from Ashlyn but had always wondered about Tammye’s memories of it.

“The one you’re in” Tammye chuckled. “It was the farthest one away from my parents and it wasn’t far enough most of the time” she smiled sadly as she answered. “When I was a baby they had me in Meg’s room. I thought that was sweet when Ash made that the baby’s room without even realizing she had done the same thing as her grandma.” She looked at her daughter and gave her a warm smile.

“I never knew that” Ashlyn answered, eyes wide. “That was always her sewing room. That’s how I remember it anyway.”

“She loved that room” Tammye said quietly. “I think she felt closest to her babies in that room. It made sense when she turned it into her sewing room after I moved out of it. She spent most of her time there.” They were all quiet for a minute, remembering Lilian and her boys. “That was a big part of their income for a while” Tammye continued. “She was a talented seamstress, the best in town really. She had the strongest fingers, up until her arthritis got bad.” Tammye looked down at her own hands, so like her mother’s. “Mine were never quite as big or strong but I’ve got her arthritis” she chuckled again. “Ashlyn has her hands. They could be exact copies. I think that’s why she’s such a great goalkeeper. She’s got her grandma’s long, strong fingers helping her out.”

Ashlyn held up her hands and looked at them as if she had never seen them before. She turned them so she could see the backs of them and then looked again at her palms. Ali thought about Ashlyn having Gram’s eyes and Lilian’s hands. Two of her very favorite things about her fiancée were exact copies of two of the strongest women in her life. The brunette smiled and looked down to focus on the legs under her own hands, trying not to blush when she thought about many of the x-rated reasons she loved Ashlyn’s fingers.

“I never really noticed that before” the keeper said, still studying her hands as Persey reached her paw out to touch the one closest to her. Ashlyn smiled and patted the puppy. “I just remember her being really fast with that needle and thread. She did a lot of work by hand.”

“That’s right. She hated to use the sewing machine” Tammye concurred. “She said it took too much control out of her hands. She did as much as she could by hand because the result was just so much better.” 

“Where did you and Chris stay when you were here for the summers?” Whitney continued along her original line of questioning.

“Chris used to be in the room we’re in now” Beth said, finally able to join the conversation.

“And I was in your room” Ashlyn nodded at her best friend. “My mom’s old room” she winked at her mother who was grinning back at her.

“Wow, lots of stories from my room then!” Whitney laughed and shook her head. “The walls in there are probably so bored with me now” she giggled.

“They could probably use the break, right mom?”

“Absolutely” Tammye agreed with a hearty laugh. “Without a doubt.” 

“There’s a wild one in every family” Gram joked, “poor Tammye got two!”

“That explains why both Whitney and her brother are angels” Ashlyn added. “We got their wild child instead!”

“And my parents still thank you every single day” the defender added, looking up at the ceiling in fake prayer.

“Yep, Kyle’s the wild Krieger” Ashlyn grinned at her fiancée, kneeling beside her, still working on her sore legs. “How about you Beth? Ann was the wild child, right?”

“Hard to say really. We both had our moments, especially when I was drinking. That was all me then for sure.” Beth thought for a minute. “I guess she was more of the trouble maker when we were kids. She was older so she got me into all kinds of trouble when I was little.”

“That’s so true!” Ali agreed. “The youngest kid always gets roped into doing stuff by the older sibling. Totally not fair.”

They looked at each other around the room and realized they were all the youngest child in their families. Even Gram had been the youngest of her brothers and sisters.

“How’s Ann doing” Gram asked after a few minutes.

“Well...” Beth sighed. “She’s doing ok.” She looked nervously around the room, knowing full well the last time Ali and Ashlyn had seen her sister was when she was thrown out of the wedding. “She’s really not the ogre you all saw last year. Not all the time anyway.”

“Beth, it’s ok. We don’t judge her or your family” Tammye offered kindly. “We’re far from perfect ourselves” she looked at her daughter who nodded along.

Gram patted Beth on the thigh and winked at her.

“She’s in therapy. She started a couple of months after the wedding” Beth continued. “Something clicked for her and for the first time in years she realized how terribly she had been treating me.”

“That’s great” Ali enthused. “The way you fought to have her stand up with you told me there was someone in there worth fighting for. I’m really happy for you Beth. And for Ann.”

“Well she’s still got lots of work to do” Beth rolled her eyes. “She was better at the baby shower last month but not great. But at least she seems to be trying.” She paused and took a deep breath. “We’re afraid of what will happen when she finds out she’s not going to be the baby’s godmother.”

Everyone in the room cringed and made a pained look of some sort.

“Yikes” Ashlyn said reflexively.

“Maybe if she gets better she can be the godmother for your next baby” Gram said hopefully. “It’ll be good incentive for her.”

“So who’s going to be the godmother?” Tammye asked cautiously. “Or have you not decided yet?” she added, trying to give Beth a way out of the spot she had just put her in.

“Well, we’ve decided but we haven’t...”

“It’s ok hon” Chris said from the doorway, drying his hands on the dish towel and tossing it on top of his shoulder. He had a smile on his face and Mike came up behind him and put his arm around the younger Harris’ shoulder. “You can tell them” Chris finished.

Beth smiled back at her husband and then looked at Ashlyn and Ali who were just as confused as everybody else in the room.

“We’d like Ashlyn and Ali to be our baby’s godparents” Beth announced proudly and beamed at her sister-in-law and Ali. “If you need time to think about it we under...”

The keeper looked at her fiancée and they both grinned from ear to ear.

“We’d be absolutely honored to be his or her godparents” Ashlyn answered in a shaky voice. “You guys, that means the world to me” she added as she reached back towards the doorway for her brother so she could hug him.

“Oh my God” Ali breathed out emotionally as she moved towards Beth on the couch. “Don’t you dare get up” she grinned and hugged the woman as best she could without touching her with her industrial strength massage oil hands. “Oh Beth, you just made me so happy.”

//

The Harris clan didn’t get to watch Ashlyn play soccer very often so having them at her game that night meant so much to the blonde. It was hard to put it into words. For a few moments she even let her mind wander to how amazing it might have been to play in Orlando and have her family at every single home game. That was a sweet imagination for sure, but the keeper knew that she could never be happy without Ali by her side. She relished the chance to play the game she loved in front of her family. But she knew her home was here in Gloucester with the woman of her dreams. She would just have to do the relishing once or twice a year in Orlando and then occasionally in Boston when her family was visiting. She was ok with that.

The game itself was a good one. The Spirit weren’t having a very good season. For reasons nobody could ever truly verify, ownership had cleaned house after they came within 30 seconds of winning the championship game the season before. It was a real head scratcher but nobody else in the league took any pity on them. They just beat them more often than not. The Breakers won 4-0 and Ashlyn and the backline played a great game. Megan Oyster, one of the players the Spirit had jettisoned from the previous year’s team, played particularly well. Ashlyn spent some time with the few teammates that still remained from her time with the Spirit three years ago. Joanna Lohman and Tori Huster hugged their old keeper for a long time after the game. 

“So this is miss Joanna who takes such good care of you when you go back to visit DC?” Ali asked with a grin as Ashlyn introduced them. “I need to buy you a drink.”

“It’s nice to finally meet the woman who landed Ashlyn Harris” Joanna quipped. “That’s no small feat, let me tell you.”

“Ali used to play for Penn State, you missed each other by a year. We figured it out this afternoon” Ashlyn explained to her friend.

“We Are!!” Joanna yelled loudly.

“Penn State!!” Ali yelled back just as loud.

“I’m sorry I’m not remembering better right now” Joanna said to Ali. “Must be too many headers.”

“No, I only played two years. Wrecked my leg and had to give it up” Ali recited the standard answer she had given for over a decade. “It’s not your memory’s fault.”

The celebration at the bar was more subdued than usual because the team was trying to be smart and get ready for their third game in ten days coming up on Sunday. They had fun and celebrated but ended the night early. The Harris contingent made their way back to the big old house for their last night of vacation. It was late by the time they got there but they stayed up and played cards one last time before they would have to fly home the next day. Beth and Gram were practically falling asleep in their chairs but nobody wanted to go to bed because then the day would officially be over. The visit had been wonderful. The timing worked out with all of the 4th of July plans. The weather cooperated more than anyone could remember in recent years. And, more importantly, everybody had not only gotten along but bonded more as well. Ali and Beth had talked several times about her pregnancy. Mike and Chris and Ashlyn had plenty of time to themselves to be themselves in that new location. Tammye and Ashlyn had gotten up each morning and walked on the beach, sometimes talking and sometimes just staying quiet and walking arm in arm. Gram and Ali spent time together in the kitchen cooking and talking about family recipes. And everybody bonded with the cute puppies. Chris kept threatening to smuggle Fred home with him and Ashlyn almost believed him. Both pups had taken to Chris almost instantly. They loved everyone but Chris had that same something that Ashlyn had when it came to the puppies. They knew, despite his huge size and his loud, booming voice, that if they ran to him he would pick them up and love them and play with them as long as possible. It had been a very good visit.

//

Early Friday evening Ali walked Jared to the mudroom door. They both glanced at Ashlyn who was on the floor softly cursing at the back of the washing machine that she had pulled out away from the wall. Ali had spent most of the day up in the office with the young intern walking him through what they do at Knight-Harris. She could tell immediately that he was tuned in and engaged. He listened to everything she said and asked smart questions that only someone who gave a damn would ask. The brunette was relieved and excited to have somebody who could actually help her out with all of the extra work she had been doing all year. He had jumped right in too. It had been his idea to get the photos of Ashlyn on the Esplanade Tuesday night at the 4th of July show and add them to the website and photo collection. Well, Ali had thought of that too, but Jared wanted to start categorizing every photograph they had of Ashlyn so it would be easier to find and use the ones they wanted for specific promotions and events and sponsorship requests. That was going to be his summer project, in addition to his routine, everyday tasks.

“Great work today Jared. We’re so glad to have you on board.”

“Thanks Ali. Me too. Call me if you need anything over the weekend.”

The brunette closed the door behind him and turned her attention to her fiancée who had just stood up and pushed the washing machine back into place.

“Fucking thing” she muttered as Ali took the sight of her in.

The keeper wore a white sleeveless t-shirt over her sports bra and a pair of shorter than usual athletic shorts. She usually wore longer athletic shorts but she was at the end of her clean clothes because of the broken washing machine. Her hair was up in a loose bun and she stood with her hands on her hips as she looked disapprovingly at the troublesome appliance. Ali felt that familiar flip flop in her stomach as she raked her eyes over the muscles she could see in her fiancée’s arms and legs. 

“Did Whit go to the laundromat?” she asked the blonde.

“What?” Ashlyn asked distractedly, looking over towards the door and seeing the brunette for the first time. “Uh, yeah, she left a little while ago.”

The keeper gave Ali a quick smile and then reached across the washing machine again to shut the water valve off on the wall. The brunette reached behind her and locked the door. She moved behind Ashlyn in two quick steps, pressing her herself up against the keeper’s ass as she stretched to reach the valve. Ali slowly ran her hands up the outside of both of the blonde’s long legs, keeping up the pressure and pinning her to the washing machine.

“Hey now” Ashlyn jumped a little at the contact and brought both of her arms down to the top of the washing machine for support. “Mmmmm, that feels nice.”

Ali kept moving her hands up over the keeper’s hips and continued up her sides, squeezing flowers and butterflies as she went. She leaned forward and placed a warm kiss to Ashlyn’s exposed shoulder as she grazed the side of her right breast with a finger. The blonde straightened up and felt Ali’s breasts push into her back.

“Have I ever told you how hot you are when you’re being handy?” the brunette purred and then licked behind Ashlyn’s right ear.

“Mmmmm, no, I don’t think so” she replied and tilted her head, exposing more of her neck for Ali’s lips to explore. “Tell away...” Ashlyn breathed out as the brunette moved her hands over the keeper’s breasts, pinching the nipples through her t-shirt and bra. “Oooh, baby” the keeper moaned and turned around to face her sexy fiancée.

The move surprised Ali but she recovered quickly, crashing their lips together in a passionate kiss. As soon as the blonde parted her lips, Ali pushed her tongue between them with her own moan. Ashlyn wrapped her up in a tight embrace, her hands roaming across the brunette’s back and down to her ass. She kept one hand on her favorite ass cheeks and moved the other hand up behind Ali’s head, holding it in place and directing the fiery kiss. When she finally pulled back to breathe, Ali saw the lidded hazel eyes looking back at her. The hunger in them made a shiver run down her spine and passion pool between her legs.

“Jesus Ash, you’re so fucking sexy” she said in a low, throaty voice. 

Ali lifted the keeper’s shirt over her head and quickly returned to do the same with her sports bra. As soon as Ashlyn’s pretty pink nipples were exposed the brunette was on them. She took one in her mouth and sucked on it softly, working her tongue back and forth across it and bringing it all the way to attention. She grazed her teeth over it and then sucked on it again, hard. Ashlyn sucked in a breath in response and squeezed the brunette’s ass.

“God I love your mouth” the keeper husked out.

“Why don’t you get your ass up here and I’ll show you how much it loves your sweet pussy” Ali said seductively and patted the top of the washing machine.

The brunette hooked her thumbs on either side of Ashlyn’s shorts and pulled them down to the floor, bringing her boyshorts with them in one motion. The scent of Ashlyn’s wet center filled Ali’s brain as she slowly stood back up again, trailing her hand up a long leg and across her mound.

“You need to take these off” the blonde said with a smirk as she lifted Ali’s shirt over her head. She reached behind her and unhooked her bra, letting it fall from the brunette’s arms onto the floor. “Mmmmm” Ashlyn moaned at the sight of Ali’s breasts, nipples already getting hard. “I want those in my mouth.”

“You wait your turn” Ali instructed with a finger pressing into the keeper’s chest and a sexy laugh.

“I’m not sure I can baby” Ashlyn groaned and brought both hands to the perky breasts in front of her. “Take those pants off and maybe I’ll find a way to be patient.”

It was Ali’s turn to smirk as she took a half step back and pulled her own jeans down, then stepped out of them, holding the blonde’s gaze the entire time. She dropped to her knees and put her mouth right on top of Ashlyn’s clit. She moved her tongue across it a few times just to tease her keeper, who moaned above her. Ali brought her hand up and slid it through the blonde’s slick folds, teasing her entrance and spreading her lips open. The brunette reached up with her left hand and started squeezing one of Ashlyn’s beautiful breasts, pinching the nipple at the same time. She moved her mouth to one of the keeper’s strong thighs and bit down hard on the inside of it. 

“Ooooh, I love it when you’re bossy” Ashlyn said after hissing at the bite.

Ali’s fingers continued to work the keeper up, both at her breasts and between her legs. The ache in the brunette’s own core became overpowering and she pressed her thighs together in an attempt to find some relief.

“Goddamn I love the way you smell” Ali said as she moved her face back between her keeper’s legs. “And taste” she added just before she licked Ashlyn from one end of her slit all the way up to her clit. “Fuck that’s good.”

Ashlyn’s hands were leaning on the top of the washing machine, trying to help hold herself up. Her legs were weak already from how turned on she was and with every stroke of Ali’s talented tongue she felt them grow shakier and shakier. 

“Oh baby that feels so good” she moaned as she felt Ali push her tongue all the way inside her pulsing core.

The brunette continued sucking and licking everything she could reach, pressing her face as far into Ashlyn’s folds as possible. She moved her right hand to start rubbing the keeper’s clit while she kept sucking on her pussy lips and thrusting her tongue inside her satin walls. 

“Mmmmmmm” she moaned while she worked and the vibrations sent a chill right through Ashlyn’s entire body.

“Oh shit Al” the blonde said hoarsely between breaths. “Mmmm that feels amazing.”

Ashlyn had one hand at the back of Ali’s head again, holding her tight against her core. She worried for a minute that she might be making it hard for her to breathe but knew the brunette would push back if she needed to.

“Mmmmmm” Ali moaned again, louder this time, as she increased the pace of her finger on the blonde’s clit.

“Oh yeah, right there baby” the keeper encouraged, her mouth dropping open and her eyes closing halfway as her orgasm built momentum. She was panting and her legs started to twitch as Ali increased the pressure and pace of both her fingers and her tongue. “Ohh fuck, I’m so close...”

Ali hummed again against the blonde’s entrance. It was loud and low and desperate as she hungrily devoured everything the keeper had to offer.

“Fuck!” Ashlyn yelled when she felt the brunette pinch her nipple hard and the orgasm hit her a split second later. “Oh Aliiiii” she cried out, letting her girl’s name stretch out while her body convulsed and shook in her arms. 

Ali stopped rubbing her clit when the keeper came. Instead she pulled her mouth away and inserted her fingers into Ashlyn’s throbbing pussy and began to stroke her hard and deep.

“Unnhh” the blonde grunted, surprised that Ali was taking her again so quickly. “Fuck Al. Mmmmm.”

Ashlyn’s legs were shaking, trying to recover from the first orgasm and hold herself up as Ali brought her closer to her second. 

“Get up here” Ali said as she stood, fingers still inside her fiancée.

This time the blonde followed the instructions and hopped up on top of the washing machine, whining when she felt Ali’s fingers leave her hot center momentarily. As soon as her ass was on the appliance she spread her legs out wide and leaned forward to kiss her sultry brunette.

“So good” she grunted out as Ali got back to work, pumping her fingers inside the keeper’s pussy as far as they would go.

The brunette pulled her lips away from Ashlyn’s and moved them down to those beautiful pink nipples. She licked and sucked and nipped at them while the blonde climbed quickly towards her release. It was all the keeper could do to hold on to the edges of the washing machine as Ali pounded away. There was a sheen of sweat across the brunette’s back and chest as she worked her girl up hard and fast.

“Come for me babe” she panted out, pulling away from Ashlyn’s breasts for a second or two. “You’re so gorgeous Ashlyn. God I love you so much.” 

When she finished talking she bit the side of the keeper’s breast and curled her fingers inside her hot center.

“Oh Jesus!” Ashlyn cried out as she felt her second orgasm about to crest. “Fuck!” she yelled again as she came hard. 

Her orgasm crashed down on her like a wave and she rode it for a few seconds until she became so sensitive she had to push Ali’s hands away from her as she twitched and shook. The brunette wrapped her arms around her and pulled her close, holding her tightly as she came down from her high. Ashlyn dropped her head down over Ali’s shoulder and wrapped her legs around her waist, crossing her ankles and feeling her calves hang down over the brunette’s ass. They stayed like that for a few minutes as they caught their breath. When they could finally talk again Ashlyn sat up and licked all of her passion off of Ali’s hand. She spoke between licks and around fingers.

“Holy shit that was incredible” she said with a grin. “Remind me to be handy more often.”

Ali chuckled and pressed a kiss into the keeper’s chest.

“Just to be clear, you turned the water valve to the off position on the wall right there” she said and nodded behind the blonde. “You’re lucky I reward effort” the brunette said with a smirk and a chuckle.

“Well I reward effort too” the keeper retorted with a wink. “And that was impressive. I didn’t know I had that second one in me.” They both giggled and brought their lips together in a slow, deep kiss. “Now it’s my turn.”

Before they could even finish another kiss they heard a car pull up in the driveway.

“Shit” Ashlyn whisper-yelled. “It’s Whit. Get upstairs quick!”

Ali scrambled around collecting all of their clothes as Ashlyn tried to get her legs working again. The brunette caught up to the keeper at the bottom of the back stairs and almost peed herself laughing as a completely naked Ashlyn basically crawled her way up using her hands and arms to help.

“It’s not funny” the blonde giggled, halfway up the stairs. “I think you broke my legs.”

Ali reached up and tapped the keeper’s still wet folds, which caused the blonde to jump and run up the last few steps without delay.

“Hey!” she yelped as she made it to the top and turned around to meet Ali’s gaze with a quirked eyebrow.

“Well you can’t be waving all that around in front of me like that” the brunette explained with a smirk. “You know I can’t control myself around you.”

Ashlyn opened her arms and hugged her when she finally joined her at the top of the back stairs.

“I know baby. It’s one of my favorite things about you.”


	18. Homestand

The rest of July sped by like a runaway train. As excited as they were for their wedding date to get there, both Ashlyn and Ali were shocked at how fast the year had gone so far. They were in good shape wedding preparations-wise and there was no panic about any of that. Ali patted herself on the back for getting ahead of everything and she doled out lots of praise to Sydney, Kyle and Whitney for all of their assistance too. And, of course, she thanked Ashlyn. The blonde really had gone out of her way to put the wedding preparations first whenever she could. She was always thoughtful and considerate, especially when it came to Ali, but the brunette had really been moved by just how attentive her keeper had been all year long.

“I don’t know who we have to thank for this year’s schedule” Ali began one evening as they cleaned up after dinner. “But I feel like we won the damned lottery” she enthused.

“No kidding!” Ashlyn agreed with a grin. “Now that I’m back after that Seattle game we have four home games in a row.” She closed the dishwasher and brought the last container of leftovers to Ali who was standing in front of the fridge. “You’re going to be so sick of me you’ll probably call off the damned wedding” she teased as she hugged her beautiful brunette from behind.

“Don’t even joke about that honey” Ali chastised and turned to face her love. “I’m so glad to have you home” she pecked the blonde lightly on the lips. “Everything’s better when you’re here with me.”

“Aww you’re so sweet” Ashlyn kissed her back. “But I know you’re just saying that because you get to have orgasms when I’m home” the keeper smirked and smacked Ali on her butt.

“Oh really?” the brunette quirked an eyebrow as she walked to the sink and got the dish cloth wet, wringing out the excess water. “I lived like a nun for four years...” she turned and tossed the dish cloth to Ashlyn who was following her across the kitchen. “I don’t need anybody for that.” 

Ali folded her arms across her chest, jutted her chin out and leaned back against the counter with a defiant look on her face. Ashlyn shook her head and chuckled as she wiped off the small kitchen table where they had eaten dinner.

“Damn baby” the blonde grinned sweetly at her and dropped the dish cloth into the sink. “You know what I mean” she cooed as she stood in front of Ali and put her hands on the brunette’s hips, playfully twisting them a little bit at the same time. “But now you put all these amazing images in my head” she leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss behind Ali’s ear. “You know what you do to me” she murmured as she nuzzled the brunette’s neck.

“What do I do to you?” Ali whispered as she closed her eyes and let her arms slowly unfold and go to her fiancée’s waistband. “Tell me” she demanded quietly as she hooked her fingers inside the top of Ashlyn’s pants.

The keeper nibbled lightly on Ali’s earlobe before she spoke softly into her ear.

“You completely dismantle me. You render me useless. You make me deaf and dumb” Ashlyn breathed the words out as they came into her head. “I would follow you anywhere, anytime, without hesitation. My sweet siren’s call leading me home.”

The blonde moved her face in front of Ali’s and smiled when she saw that her eyes were closed and her mouth relaxed, lips soft and inviting. Ashlyn kissed her, wrapping her arms around her and holding her close. It was a slow, deep kiss that was full of all of the blonde’s words and the meaning behind them. 

“I love you Ali” she declared softly as the kiss ended.

The new washing machine beeped loudly from the mudroom and broke the spell. They leaned their foreheads together and smiled shyly at each other. They heard the mudroom door open and close as Whitney came in with the puppies after their walk. They heard their leashes click and then the sound of little paws and claws trying to get traction on the tile floor of the kitchen as Persey and Fred ran to greet them.

“I love you too” Ali replied as the world came back to life around them.

//

A week later Whitney and Ashlyn looked at each other apprehensively as they sat in the living room of the big old house. It had been three days since the puppies had been spayed, Persey, and neutered, Fred, and the two blonde women were nervous about taking care of them. Ali had turned out to be the true dog whisperer the past three days. She was able to keep the pups calm and quiet as they healed. Persey’s surgery was more intensive because the doctor actually had to cut through the abdominal muscles to do the procedure. She would need about two weeks to recover. Fred’s surgery, typical of most male things in the world, had been less complicated and less intrusive. He would need a little less time to recover. Both puppies had been sore and confused their first evening home. The most important thing to do for both of them was to keep them still. If they moved around too much they could rip their stitches out or do damage to themselves internally. 

“Well what the fuck is the trick to keeping 9 month old puppies calm and quiet?” Ashlyn had asked in exasperation as her heart broke for the little pups on day two.

“If they don’t stay still we’re supposed to put them back in their crates so they don’t have a choice” Ali answered, reading from her notes. “And they have to have their e-collars on all the time or they’ll pull their stitches out.”

“Cones of shame” Ashlyn shook her head sadly. “Poor babies.”

“Babe, listen” the brunette patted her fiancée on the leg to get her attention. “We can sit here with them and hold them as long as they stay still. It’s up to us. And if you want to take Persey’s collar off you can but then it’s on you to make sure her head doesn’t go anywhere near her incision. Not even for a second.”

As it turned out, Persey would only stay calm in Ali’s lap. Fred was better with the brunette too but Ali knew one of them had to learn to be still with the keeper or she would be crushed.

“I’ll bet it’s because you play with them more. You’re the fun parent so they get excited around you” Ali tried to make the blonde feel better. “They see you and they just expect play time.”

That night Whitney and Ashlyn tried everything to keep the puppies calm but had to put them back in their crates because nothing else worked. When Ali came home later that night she was surprised to see the living room rearranged. The coffee table had been moved up next to the tv and both crates were in the room with a blonde soccer player stretched out on the floor next to each one. Ashlyn had her fingers stretched out through the bars of the crate so she could touch Persey, who was lying right up against the side of the crate to make it easier. Whitney and Fred were in similar positions as the 11pm news finished on the television. All four souls were fast asleep with more than one of them snoring a little. Ali giggled quietly and took a couple of pictures before getting on her hands and knees and softly kissing Ashlyn’s lips. 

“Hey baby” the keeper said quietly, her voice raspy from sleep. “How’s Syd? Everything ok?”

“She’s ok” Ali said and kissed the blonde again. “How are you? Tough night?”

“They just wouldn’t settle down. And then they wouldn’t stop whining when we crated them” Ashlyn explained as she sat up. “It’s gonna be a long two weeks.”

//

Sydney was miserable. Ali had been trying to spend more time with her to try and help her with baby stuff as well as try to keep her from losing her mind. She drove down to her old house in Stoneham a couple of times a week, bringing random wedding things with her so Sydney could ‘help’ her with those too.

“I changed my mind” Sydney complained one evening as they sat on the couch together. “I don’t want to be pregnant. I don’t want to have a baby anymore. Make it stop.”

Ali giggled from the other end of the couch and picked up the coach’s other foot and started rubbing it for her. 

“That’s not how it works boo. No backsies. Sorry.”

“Ugh I don’t know why I ever let you talk me into this Krieger” Sydney moaned dramatically.

“I don’t see how the lesbian best friend had any part in you being pregnant” Ali chuckled. “She is the one here rubbing your fat feet for you though.”

“I know. You’re a godsend. Honestly, I can’t imagine getting through this fucking pregnancy without you Alibaba.” 

Sydney started to cry softly and it took Ali a minute to notice.

“Hey boo” she cooed at her miserable friend. “It’s ok. You’re doing so good. I know it sucks and you feel like crap all the time but just think about the awesome human being you’re growing inside you right now.” She reached for Sydney’s hand and squeezed it. “Don’t cry honey. It’ll only make you...”

“Have to pee” Sydney finished for her. “Jesus Christ” she muttered and wiped the tears from her face. “Help me up, quick.”

Dom had been picking up as many extra shifts as he could, so he could call in the favors after the baby was born and spend more time at home. It was a plan he and Sydney had come up with together and it was working well. Sydney’s mom and Ali and several of their other friends would rotate through and spend evenings with the practically bed-ridden pregnant lady. She wasn’t officially on bed rest but she may as well have been. Even her mother said she hadn’t seen a more difficult pregnancy in her life. Sydney liked to be dramatic but she was really every bit as tough as Ali was. For her to be so uncomfortable and miserable carrying a baby completely terrified the brunette. 

“I wish I could do something to make you feel better” Ali admitted as she helped the coach back onto the couch. “I’d do anything in the world for you Syd.”

“I know. And I appreciate it. Honestly, I do. If I think of anything that might make any of this feel better I’ll let you know.”

They smiled at each other as Ali resumed rubbing Sydney’s feet.

“Now you know what it feels like, a little bit anyway” the coach said with a raised eyebrow.

“What do you mean?” Ali looked up but kept rubbing.

“I’m not comparing being pregnant to almost dying,” she chuckled and rolled her eyes at herself. “Not even I’m that dramatic. But now you know how awful it is to watch your best friend suffering and feel so helpless.”

Ali bristled when she first heard Sydney’s words. She sure as fuck knew what it felt like. She had watched Kyle almost die and then struggle to get and stay clean and there hadn’t been one fucking thing she could do to help him. Ali took a breath and looked down, trying to swallow her anger. Sydney didn’t mean to discount that part of her life. She knew she didn’t. She took another breath and tried to look at it from Sydney’s point of view. Sydney was an only child and the closest thing to a sibling she had was Ali. And she had nearly died and Sydney was way up in Massachusetts instead of at the Pennsylvania hospital her best friend was in. 

“You’re right boo” Ali looked up and smiled warmly at her best friend. “It officially sucks, that’s for sure. And don’t be getting any crazy ideas about almost dying just to prove your point. I get it” she teased.

They chatted about some of their television shows and how bratty Boss had been lately before Sydney got quiet for several minutes. They had switched up their positions so Ali was sitting behind her friend and massaging her shoulders and back.

“So how are you going to manage being godmother to two brand new babies?” the coach asked evenly, without turning her head or moving at all.

“What?” Ali stilled her hands on her best friend’s shoulders as her mind tried to piece together what she had just said.

“You heard me” Sydney chuckled. “I figure you’re going to see a lot more of my kid so he’ll be your favorite. I’m good with that.”

“Sydney Rae?!”

The coach turned sideways to reveal a huge smile across her face. She reached for Ali’s hands and held them tightly in her lap.

“Alexandra Blaire Krieger will you please be my baby’s godmother?”

“Oh my God, of course I will!” Ali squealed and hugged her best friend as they both giggled. “Oh nothing would make me happier or more proud.”

They both got teary eyed as they grinned at each other.

“Damn I wish we could have some wine to celebrate” Ali said, only half joking.

“No kidding” the coach agreed. “And, for the record, we want both you and Ashlyn to be his godparents. I’m not supposed to tell you early so you keep your mouth shut.” Sydney gave the brunette a warning glare.

“I won’t say a word, not even to Ash. She’ll be so happy Syd. You have no idea what this will mean to her.”

“It was pretty easy, really” Sydney explained as they got back into massage positions. “There isn’t another couple alive who I’d want to raise my boy if we couldn’t do it.” She paused as she tried to keep her emotions in check. “And my mom can give you some tips on how to be a white girl and raise a black baby. Just promise me you’ll get his hair right.” She jerked her head around to get a look at Ali’s grinning face. “Promise me.”

“I promise Syd.”

//

By the end of July the Breakers had played 16 games and had a record of 11-4-1. They were still tied for 2nd place in the table too. They trailed Portland and were tied with Chicago. Those were both playoff teams last season. The Spirit wouldn’t make the playoffs this year and, as of August 1st with eight games left to play, Seattle and North Carolina were making their moves up the table to try for the fourth playoff spot. If the Breakers didn’t continue to play well they could even miss the playoffs. They had to keep winning to hold off one of those two teams on the rise. It was the most excitement Breakers fans had experienced in years. If they could win second place they would be able to host a playoff game! But, as the coaches and veterans were quick to remind everybody, there were eight games left and a lot could go wrong in eight games. The Breakers had a terrible habit of skidding with a string of losses into the off-season. Whitney and Ashlyn were not about to let that happen again this year. 

“Do you think we can really pull this shit off?” Ashlyn asked as she and Whitney stretched out and used their foam rollers in the basement gym.

“I do Ash” Whitney looked at her friend with wide eyes. “I can’t believe I’m saying it, but I really do.”

They had just beaten Orlando at home the night before and were doing their recovery work.

“I don’t want to jinx anything...” Ashlyn began.

“Then don’t.”

“I’m just saying, this feels familiar. This team, it feels like I’ve been on this team before. You know?” the keeper asked with an excited look on her face.

“I know” the defender answered with a small smile. “It feels like junior year, right?”

“Yes! Senior year it was almost too easy, not that it was easy – you know I don’t mean it that way. But senior year we were a well-oiled machine. We just had to not screw it up. Junior year...”

“We had to scrap and fight and build ourselves up” Whitney finished the thought. “Yep. That’s what this year feels like. We’ve got some young players who have nerves of steel and haven’t let us down yet. We’ve got some veterans who are steady and demanding at the same time.”

“And then those girls in the middle who just get shit done” the keeper completed the description of the players on that season’s Breakers team. “Everybody fights hard for each other. Nobody ever quits.”

“It’s amazing” Whitney added with another smile.

“We could win this whole thing Whit. I mean, it won’t be easy. Every game will be a struggle but I don’t see a team we can’t beat.”

“Portland.”

“Yeah, fucking Portland. There’s too many players on that team from junior year” Ashlyn chuckled and rolled her eyes. “But seriously, I don’t think I tell you this enough. You’re a great captain. Really. I hope the youngsters appreciate how lucky they are to be learning from you. I know the vets do.”

“Thanks Ash. Sometimes it’s frustrating trying to control the game from the backline, but I’m trying.”

“You’re succeeding my friend.”

They were both quiet for a few minutes as they finished up their stretches and rolls.

“Can I tell you something” Whitney asked, not looking up.

“Dirty truth?”

“Yeah.” She swallowed hard and glanced up at her best friend.

“Hit me.” The keeper held her breath. 

“I thought about quitting after last season” the defender admitted quietly, head down.

“What? No way” Ashlyn stopped and looked at her best friend with her mouth open. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I’ve never told anybody before.” Whitney looked up quickly and then back down. “Not even Ryan.”

“Whoa.” The keeper looked away as she tried to process what could have made one of the best defenders she’d ever played with hang up her boots in her prime.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”

“Why are you telling me now?” Ashlyn turned back to meet her friend’s gaze, fear on her own face.

“Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere” Whitney smiled meekly. “I don’t know.” She paused and looked down again. “The last two years were so awful” she shook her head. “And I was missing Ryan and there was so much uncertainty with his career...”

Ashlyn’s breath hitched when she saw the turmoil on the defender’s face as she explained where her head had been at during the offseason. She reached over and put her hand on Whitney’s shin.

“Well I forgive you” the keeper filled the empty space after Whitney’s words fell away. “You just scared the shit out of me and I may not allow you to leave Boston during the offseason again...”

Whitney’s loud laughter filled the room as she relaxed and gave her best friend a big grin.

“That’s partly why I’m telling you, goofball” the defender chuckled. “I would never have forgiven myself if I had given up and not been a part of this year. Remind me how this feels the next time I decide to feel sorry for myself. Ok?”

“Deal. Such a deal.” Ashlyn took a minute and smiled at her best friend. “But you know, none of this year happens unless you’re our captain. You know that right?” She looked at the defender who was smiling bashfully back at her. “Just like junior year.”

//

“Ashlyn, what is going on?” 

It was still dark out and they had just gotten to sleep a few hours earlier. The Breakers had beaten Sky Blue the night before and the team had gone out to celebrate the victory as well as Ali’s 33rd birthday.

“It’s time to get up and get in the shower. We have to leave in thirty minutes so hurry up, ok?” Ashlyn turned off the alarm on her phone and leaned over to kiss her fiancée’s sleepy face.

“What?” the brunette asked, confused and tired and cranky. “It’s 5am. What the hell Ash?”

“Please honey, just get up and take a quick shower. No shaving or anything extra. Gotta go fast. I’m going to jump in the other bathroom. We both smell like we fucked all night” the keeper kissed her one more time and patted her ass before getting up and walking around the foot of the bed.

“That’s because we did” Ali smirked and stretched out.

Thirty minutes later the car service backed out of the driveway with the tired couple and their luggage safely inside. As curious as the brunette was, she was even more tired. She drifted off to sleep, curled up with the blonde in the backseat and Ashlyn followed shortly thereafter. When she opened her cinnamon eyes an hour later she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

“Ashlyn!” she whispered excitedly as the driver pulled up to the terminal at the airport and got out to get their luggage. “What’s going on?” Ali asked again as her eyes went wide at the sight of the two suitcases being put on the skycap’s cart outside her door. “Did you pack for me? Where are we going?”

“Princess, please.” The keeper gave her a quick kiss and smiled her dimpled smile. “Just trust me. If I forgot something it’ll just be the perfect excuse for you to go shopping. Ok?”

Ashlyn kept the surprise going for as long as she possibly could. If she could have blindfolded the brunette and blocked her ears as they sat at the departure gate she would have. But she was pretty sure that would involve some questions in a small, dimly lit room with the security staff.

“Bermuda?! We’re going to Bermuda?!”

“We are” Ashlyn smiled at her beautiful girl. “I’m sorry it’s not someplace more exotic but we don’t have a lot of time and I didn’t want to spend it on a plane. I picked the closest, warmest beach resort I could think of. I hope it’s ok...”

Ali interrupted her sweet apologetic explanation with a serious kiss. She didn’t care who was watching or what anybody else thought. The sweetest woman in the world was whisking her away for her birthday weekend and she couldn’t have been happier.

“I’ll love it babe” Ali breathed out after the kiss. “As long as we’re together I’ll absolutely love it.”

“Well that’s the plan” Ashlyn explained as she put her arm around her brunette’s shoulders and pulled her close. “We have three days. We fly back Monday night.” She reached into her messenger bag, pulled out a brochure for the resort and handed it to her fiancée. “You can pick whatever you want to do. It’s your birthday baby.”

“Oh Ashlyn, it’s beautiful” she gasped as she looked through the brochure. “Oh my God I can’t believe this.”

“I booked a tee time for tomorrow morning because they were going fast but if you don’t...”

“We can golf too?” the brunette’s head snapped up.

“Yes we can” Ashlyn chuckled. “I want you to do whatever you want to do sweetheart. This weekend is just for you.”

By the time the two hour flight was over, Ali had planned the rest of their weekend out. Their first stop after check-in was going to be the concierge to make reservations for the restaurants she wanted to try and the show she wanted to see and the golf she wanted to play. As the plane taxied after landing, the brunette gave Ashlyn a confused look.

“How are we here through Monday? Don’t you have training?”

“Coach was very understanding. He appreciates that I’m not taking a honeymoon during our run towards the playoffs. He was happy to give me a day off in exchange.”

“Oh Ash, you shouldn’t have” Ali looked concerned. “I don’t want you to miss training for me. I know how important it is to you to set a good example.”

“Al, it’s ok. I promise.” The keeper stroked her fiancée’s cheek gently as they pulled up to the gate. “Everything’s good. Whitney’s got the puppies and Vicki and the boys are back-ups just in case. Jared can handle Knight-Harris social media for the weekend and I told him to call me if he had any questions. I promise I’ll tell you if something important comes up.” She brought Ali’s hand to her lips and kissed it softly. “The only thing you have to do is tell your boss I kidnapped you and then put your out of office message on.”

“Oh shit, my work phone...”

“I’ve got it. But you’re only getting it for fifteen minutes. Then I’m taking it back.” The blonde grinned at Ali. “You’re all set honey, I swear.”

After checking in, working with the concierge, touring the resort, eating lunch, lounging by the pool, taking a nap, having sex and showering, Ashlyn leaned against the door frame in the bathroom and watched the love of her life put the finishing touches on her make-up. The blonde swore to herself that as long as she lived she would never ever get over how beautiful Ali was. It didn’t matter if she was dressed to the nines, as she was tonight for their dinner and dancing date, or if she was wearing joggers and a t-shirt, she was just exquisite. Most of it was genetics, thank you Deb and Ken, the keeper thought to herself. Some of it was the way she took care of her body and herself. As an ex-athlete she would always keep herself fit and healthy. But a lot of it was the way she carried herself and the way she chose to be happy and optimistic. Even after all she had been through. She wasn’t perfect and she wasn’t an angel, Ashlyn had no illusions about that. But she was good and true and kind and that light and love was what poured out of her when she laughed at one of the keeper’s jokes or when she gave Ashlyn one of her nose-crinkling smiles. That light was what fed the blonde’s soul and kept her upright when she floundered on her dark days. 

“Ashlyn?”

“What?” the blonde was surprised to hear Ali’s voice. She walked closer to her fiancée and stood behind her.

“I’ve been talking to you for five minutes” the brunette chuckled. “Where were you?”

The keeper blushed a little bit and nervously grabbed the back of her neck with one hand.

“Ummm nowhere, right here actually.”

Ali gave her a slightly concerned, slightly amused look in the mirror and then quirked an eyebrow.

“I know it sounds silly” Ashlyn started. “But sometimes I look at you and I just get lost in how gorgeous you are.” Her blush deepened and she dropped her eyes. “My mind takes off on me.”

“Aw honey, you are just the sweetest” the brunette paused. “Where did it take you just now?” she inquired. She wasn’t fishing for a compliment, she was genuinely curious.

“Honestly? I ah, well...I was thinking about how beautiful you are on the inside too and how that’s what comes out and lights up my world when I’m having a tough day.” Ashlyn spoke softly and deliberately, nervously avoiding eye contact until she was finished. “I know it sounds so cheesy...”

“Ash” the brunette turned and put both of her hands on her keeper’s chest, rubbing them just a tiny bit as she spoke. “It does sound cheesy, but I know you really mean it. We’re those obnoxious people that all our friends talk about behind our backs for being so in love and so annoyingly adorable.” Ali smiled up at her girl. “But too bad. I love you like that too honey. And I know what you mean about getting lost in it sometimes. I’ve never felt a love like this before and it scares me sometimes...just the depth of it. Like I feel almost like a passenger on some crazy ride sometimes.”

“Yeah, that’s a good way to describe it” the keeper agreed with a grin.

“I’m trying to learn how to just enjoy the ride. You make it so easy but sometimes I still get in my own way because I worry too much about dumb stuff.” She paused again and kissed Ashlyn lightly on the lips. “Wherever you just were, I want to be there with you... on the same ride.”

“Always baby. Always.”

Sunday they got up early and went golfing. They were paired up with another couple who turned out to be pretty nice. They were on their honeymoon and when Ali told them about their fast approaching wedding the conversation quickly turned to the wonders of married life. Rick and Shannon were staying at a different resort but invited the women to join them that night at the open air nightclub on the beach. Ali knew what they were talking about because it had made her short list of things to try and do while they were on the island. They agreed to meet at the club after dinner.

After golf they stopped and did some shopping on the way back to the hotel. Then there was lunch and a snorkeling trip to the south side of the island. They rented a go-pro camera and tried to film as much of the snorkeling experience as they could. The water was so crystal clear neither of them could believe it. They were exhausted by the time they got back to the hotel and instead of having sex and then a nap, they just had the nap. 

“You did such a great job packing for me babe” Ali praised her fiancée as they got dressed for dinner after quick showers. “I’ll admit I was pretty nervous at first” she chuckled as she put her jewelry on.

“I’m hurt” Ashlyn grabbed her chest and pretended to be in physical pain. “I do pay attention you know” she teased some more.

“I know you do, but this is impressive” Ali motioned to her suitcase and clothes and toiletries. “Seriously, you’re the best.” She crossed the room and wrapped her arms around her keeper from behind, pressing a kiss into her shoulder and humming into it. “Mmmmmmm.”

“Thanks hon” Ashlyn squeezed her arms as they held her tight. “But I’m sure you could pack for me too, but probably with your eyes closed or something.” She laughed and the brunette joined in, smacking the keeper’s butt as she went back to start putting her make-up on.

“There is one thing it seems like you forgot though” Ali teased from her place in front of the bathroom mirror.

“Oh yeah?” Ashlyn tried to think what it could be. She had gone to great lengths, and many lists, to make sure she packed everything Ali might need for their trip. If she had been unsure of anything she called Sydney just to be safe. “Well, I’m stumped. I even remembered to bring your damn golf clubs woman. What could I possibly have forgotten?”

Ali giggled to herself when she saw the blonde start to get flustered about it.

“I know we napped through sexy time this afternoon, but if I wanted to wear a little something special for you tonight I don’t seem to have anything to choose from” she waited for her keeper to assume her spot in the doorway and then winked at her.

“Do you mean your lingerie?” Ashlyn clarified with a raised eyebrow.

“I do mean lingerie” Ali answered in a seductive voice.

“Well I didn’t want to be presumptuous. After all, it’s your birthday and let’s be honest, when you wear that stuff it’s me who gets all the benefit. It didn’t seem fair for you to be the one wearing lingerie on your birthday vacation” the keeper bit her bottom lip and sent her own wink.

It took the brunette a minute to catch on to what Ashlyn was intimating. She lowered her head a little and looked up at the blonde through her lashes and smirked.

“Are you saying that someone else will be wearing lingerie tonight?”

“Maybe.”

The smug look on the keeper’s face told Ali all she needed to know and she grinned into the mirror appreciatively.

The club was packed when they arrived after dinner. It was the latest hotspot on the island so everybody was eager to check it out. They met Rick and Shannon who already had a small table and a round of drinks. The two young couples drank and laughed and danced for an hour or so. It was right on the beach, famous pink sand and all, and it had beautiful views of the water. There was a live band playing that night and the whole place had a really nice vibe to it. There were a few jerks who hadn’t figured out how to relax yet but if you could look past them it was a pretty perfect evening.

In the third hour, and after several drinks, Rick started to get a little handsy with Ali. They had all been dancing together and it had been fun and easy. The brunette pushed his hand away a few times, hoping he would get the hint. Shannon didn’t seem phased by it at all. Ashlyn watched the whole thing unfold, trusting in her fiancée to handle herself like she knew she would. During what turned out to be their last dance together, Rick let his hand settle on the brunette’s ass. Shannon had made a quick trip to the ladies room and Ashlyn was on her way back from the bar with a fresh drink for her girl when she saw Rick’s move. She had been more patient than most people would have been in her situation, but that was definitely too far. Especially after the many times that Ali had corrected his behavior already. The keeper set the two drinks down on their table and walked onto the dance floor as Ali stopped dancing and took a step away from Rick. He grabbed for her hand to try to pull her back into the dance and Ali was about to tell him to fuck off, once and for all, when Ashlyn stepped between them and put her hand on his chest and pushed him backwards. It wasn’t a big push by any means. But he didn’t like it. 

“Dude, she’s told you a bunch of times to watch your hands. Are you deaf or just stupid?” Ashlyn challenged.

“Ash it’s ok. I’m sure he gets the message now. Right Rick?” Ali tried to defuse the situation. 

She knew that if Ashlyn had pushed the guy she must have really wanted to knock him out and was trying to be on her best behavior and not ruin the night. 

“You don’t know what you’re talking about” Rick slurred back. “We’re just having fun, that’s all.” 

If he had quit there things might have simmered down again. But he hadn’t quit there.

“Besides, she likes it when I grab her ass, don’t ya honey” he winked drunkenly at Ali as he said it.

“Ashlyn” the brunette warned and put her arm around her keeper from behind to try and tug her away.

“See!” Rick said much too loudly. “She’s into me. She’s trying to get to me and you’re in the way. Why don’t you just get the fuck outta the way you big dyke!”

Two different couples that were dancing next to the situation stopped and turned to look at the asshole with the big mouth. The bouncer was on his way over too. Ashlyn stood there gritting her teeth and trying to stay calm. Every fiber of her being wanted to punch the guy in the face but she wasn’t going to risk the rest of her Breakers season injuring her hand on a loser like him. She also didn’t want to make the scene any worse than it was. She was just about to turn around and walk Ali back to their table when Rick reached out and tried to grab Ali’s hand again. He missed and ended up groping Ashlyn’s stomach instead.

“Don’t you fucking touch me” she said through gritted teeth and brought her knee up swiftly to his crotch.

The two nearby guys winced instinctively and their dates gasped. The bouncer finally got there and picked Rick up off the floor where he was rolling around in agony. Ali pulled her fiancée backwards away from the scene and took her by the hand to walk back to their table. 

“Are you ok?” she asked the blonde quickly. “Did he hurt you?”

“No I’m fine” Ashlyn answered, her face furrowed into an angry frown. “Fucking asshole.”

They sat quietly, sipping their drinks and holding hands, as the bouncer escorted Rick off the premises. The two other couples had vouched for Ashlyn and the club manager came over to apologize to the keeper and her fiancée. He paid their tab and gave them free passes to come back the next weekend too.

“Well that was exciting” Ali giggled, still a little amped up.

“I’m sorry if I embarrassed you Al” Ashlyn said, lowering her head before looking back up. “But he went too far.”

“Babe, I’m the one who should be apologizing. I should have handled it sooner myself. Honestly, that was the first time he touched my ass. I was just about to tell him to fuck off.”

“I know you were” Ashlyn grinned. “I saw you. He doesn’t know how lucky he is that he got to deal with me instead of you” she smiled and kissed the brunette’s lips softly. “I didn’t doubt you baby. I would have stepped in no matter which one of my friends was in your place though.”

“I was so afraid you were going to punch him and hurt your hand” Ali admitted with wide eyes. “Thank God you didn’t do that.”

“Hey, where’s Rick?” Shannon asked as she rejoined their group. She was pretty drunk and had been in the bathroom and then at the bar during the brief tussle on the dance floor. “Did he leave without me again?”

Ali rolled her eyes at her fiancée and pointed towards the bathroom. Ashlyn nodded and grinned.

Fifteen minutes later the brunette was walking back towards their table when she saw Shannon hanging all over her keeper. Ali’s temper flared as she marched over, watching the drunken woman stroke Ashlyn’s cheek and try to take her hair out of the tight bun it was in. Ashlyn moved and sat in the high chair to try to get away from Shannon, holding her hips to keep her at a distance. But the newlywed just kept grabbing at the blonde. She had her fingers between the buttons of Ashlyn’s crisp white dress shirt by the time Ali got there.

“Ok, we’re outta here” she said matter-of-factly as she reached for Ashlyn’s hand and nudged Shannon aside so the blonde could stand up without being body to body with the drunkard. “I hope you and Rick will be very happy together” Ali said over her shoulder as she led her keeper towards the exit.

“But baby, we’ve got free drinks here for the rest of the night” Ashlyn whined as she put her arm around Ali’s shoulders while they walked.

“Not worth it Ash” Ali said, shaking her head and setting her jaw. “You and your lingerie are coming home with me right now.”


	19. What's in a Name?

By the time they got off the plane Monday night Ashlyn’s phone had blown up. She stopped in the middle of the terminal to check her messages. There were fourteen text messages and five missed calls.

“Ash? What’s wrong?” Ali asked as she walked back to where the blonde had stopped walking.

The keeper pushed dial and put her phone up to her ear.

“Beth’s water broke right after we got on the plane” she explained to the brunette as she waited for her brother to answer his phone. “Fuck.”

She called her mom instead and talked with her for several minutes while Ali stood by helplessly. It was exciting and nerve-wracking and frustrating all at once. Ali knew it was killing the blonde not to be down in Satellite Beach with her family for this momentous occasion. The brunette tried to figure out a way that they could squeeze a trip to Florida in before the wedding.

“It’s a boy!” Ashlyn yelled out to Ali, tears in her eyes and phone still to her ear. “He’s good...Beth’s good too...everybody’s good.”

The brunette hugged her keeper as she finished her phone call. It wasn’t until they were just about home almost two hours later that Ashlyn got to talk to her brother.

“Bubba” she squeaked out, voice too full of emotion for words.

“I know Bash, I know” he said just as emotionally. “She did it. She fucking did it. He’s beautiful. Oh I can’t wait for you to meet him baby sis.”

“I’m so happy for you guys Chris. Mom said Beth’s ok, is she really ok?”

“Yeah, she’s awesome. I can’t believe what I just saw with my own two eyes.” He paused while he tried to control his voice. “I don’t care what anybody ever says about men being stronger than women. That’s fucking bullshit. You wouldn’t believe what she just went through to have this baby.”

“It’s about time you figured that out, dipshit” she teased.

“I’m serious. That was fucking hardcore.”

They both laughed with nervous excitement. Ashlyn had never heard her brother sound happier than he did at that moment.

“I’m proud of you Chris. You’ve been great through the whole pregnancy and now you’re going to be the greatest dad...” she couldn’t help the tears that fell down her cheeks. “I’m just so fucking happy for you.”

“Thanks Ash. That means a lot.”

After a few more minutes of sniffling from both of them Chris cleared his throat.

“Listen, I know you and Ali are planning to have kids at some point and I probably should have checked with you on this before now” he began cautiously.

“Dude, you’re going soft. You guys already asked us to be the godparents, remember?” Ashlyn chuckled into the phone and made a face at Ali who was trying to follow the one-sided conversation.

“No, no” Chris laughed. “I mean, yes, of course we still want you guys to be the godparents. But I want to give him Grandpa’s name, if that’s ok with you.”

“Wow Chris, that’s a great idea. I love it. Which Grandpa?”

“Actually, both. We want to name him John Francis Harris. If it’s ok with you. I mean, you haven’t been planning your whole life to name your son one of those names have you? Beth told me to ask you a long time ago and I just forgot.”

“No, you’re good. I think it’s great. Gram will love it. You’re going to make her so happy.”

“Yeah?” he asked, sounding more unsure than she had ever heard him. “You’re sure it’s ok with you?”

“Of course. I swear. I appreciate you asking but it’s all good.” She paused and looked at Ali sitting next to her. “John Francis Harris. I think that sounds awesome.”

//

Somehow the days of August went by insanely slowly while still managing to slip by quickly. It was the strangest time Ali had ever felt, except for when she was in the hospital with her embolism and heart attacks. That August the hours in each day crept along, like a roller coaster slowly crawling up to the precipice of the first big drop, until evening time. Then the hours raced by as the roller coaster whipped down the track in a blur, jerked around the first two turns and then slowed to start the next climb. And every day in the week the roller coaster went a little bit faster down the track, until the weekend when it felt like it might fly right off the rails. It was exhilarating and terrifying.

//

Ali, Sydney, Whitney and little Allie, with her mom Rachael, all had their final dress fitting the first weekend in August. They all looked beautiful, even poor uncomfortable Sydney. Her measurements were taken and her dress would be adjusted with room to grow for the very pregnant woman. The brunette took them all to a nice lunch as soon as they were finished. It was the Breakers’ only home game for the month which made it possible for Whitney to fully participate. Ashlyn worked with Hannah over the phone to get Meg’s measurements and the seamstress said she would do her best to make sure the dress would fit the little girl three weekends later. 

//

Ashlyn and Ali had a session with Mattie the second week of August. Everything had been good between them since the Instagram bully incident in January. They had gone to see their therapist a couple of weeks after that painful event to talk through the fallout. Ali received praise for voicing her anger as she had experienced it instead of bottling it up until she felt ok to go on as if nothing had happened. Her old modus operandi. Mattie did counsel her about learning to vent her anger in less hurtful ways. But ultimately, she agreed that the brunette had done well for her first time. As with everything, the more she did it the better she would get.

The August appointment was more of a check-in with the couple before the big day. Both women had wanted to suggest it to the other but didn’t want to force it to happen unless they both thought it was a good idea. They laughed about it as they sat down with Mattie and thanked her for being the one to finally bring it up with the blonde during one of her solo sessions.

“Well now that you’re both here let’s talk about how things have been going with you since we last met back in January. Anything you want to tell me about?” She looked from one smiling face to the other and grinned back at them. “Ladies, you added two puppies to your household, started a new business together and you’ve been planning a wedding for seven months. Somebody start talking.”

They each shared a couple of stories about miscommunication and frustration. Mattie asked Ashlyn to talk about her now well-controlled depression. And she asked Ali to talk about any lingering fears from her disastrous relationship with Emily. They discussed the Meg situation, generally and then as it pertained specifically to the wedding. The therapist asked Ali point blank if she was going to be comfortable with Hannah, Dev and Meg coming to the wedding.

“I am” Ali answered with a nod of her head. “I don’t get Hannah” she sighed. “And I probably never will. But she helped Ash figure out what happened with the Instagram thing and she definitely didn’t have to do that.” She paused and Ashlyn squeezed her hand as they sat next to each other on the couch. “And she seems to be helping Ash stay in touch with Meg, even though her current sugar daddy...”

“Fiance” Ashlyn corrected her with a smirk.

“Right, right, how could I forget? Even though her fiancé was against it at the beginning. So I don’t really have a beef with her anymore. I just don’t trust her. But hopefully this guy is rich enough to keep her happy. She tells Ashlyn that she’s genuinely happy for us and, as of now, I’m choosing to believe her.”

“Well that sounds good then” Mattie agreed. “I certainly can’t find fault with that” she chuckled. “You both seem good and happy and surprisingly not stressed about the wedding. And that’s excellent.” The therapist grinned at them again. “Did you get my RSVP?” she asked after a minute.

“We did” Ashlyn replied with a smile. “Can’t wait for you to meet everybody” she winked.

“I’m not going to your wedding for inside information” she clucked and wagged her finger at the blonde. "I'm going to celebrate two of my favorite people on their big day.”

After a few more minutes of wedding chatter the therapist spoke again.

“So is there anything else?”

Ali looked at the keeper and then down at her lap. Ashlyn glanced at the brunette and then back at Mattie.

“Why don’t you start Ashlyn” she requested evenly.

“We’re having a really hard time agreeing on one thing but it’s driving us both crazy because we’re both really sure our own way is right” the blonde said with a frown.

“It’s a problem and we only have two more weeks to figure it out” Ali said with a pained look on her face.

“Somebody tell me what’s going on” Mattie asked, leaning forward and looking serious.

“I want to take Ali’s name when we get married.”

“And I want to take Ashlyn’s name.”

The therapist looked from one discouraged face to the other and back again.

“Ok. Well, that is a problem if you’re both adamant about it.”

“We are” Ashlyn said.

“We’re so stuck Mattie” Ali added ruefully.

“Alright. I’m going to go out on a limb here and assume that you don’t want to go the hyphenated last name route. Am I right about that?”

Both women nodded their heads in agreement.

“Well that’s good. You agree about that at least” she chuckled self-consciously when she realized that this was a real issue for the couple. “Ali, why don’t you tell me why you think you should be the Harrises after you’re married.”

Ali took a deep breath and let it out slowly before she began talking.

“I’ve spent my whole life planning my wedding and imagining my life as a wife and a mother. That’s just something Syd and I did when we were little. For twenty-five years I’ve been planning on becoming Mrs. Someone else. I never thought about if I wanted to give my name up when I was little, it’s just what you did when you got married. So that’s what I wanted to do. That’s what I planned to do. Honestly, I wouldn’t mind keeping my own name when we get married. But we’re going to have children and I want us all to have the same name. That’s very important to me.”

“Good. Good” Mattie said thoughtfully. “So would you say you feel very strongly about taking Ashlyn’s name?”

“Yes. Very strongly.”

“Ok. Ashlyn?” the therapist asked and nodded at the blonde.

“I didn’t plan my wedding when I was a little girl. I didn’t really think about it very much at all. So you’ve got me there” she smiled softly at her fiancée and squeezed her hand. “But I feel just as strongly about becoming Ashlyn Krieger as you do about taking my name. There’s already another generation of Harrises in the world. And it’s a boy so the Harris name will continue on for at least another generation. But there aren’t any next generation Kriegers and, I’m not trying to be a jerk, it doesn’t look like your brother’s going to be contributing to the gene pool any time soon. People up here know the Krieger name, especially in the soccer world. It’s a well-respected name and I really want to take it and be a part of that. And I want our kids to be Kriegers. You know I’d give you anything you wanted Al, but I really don’t want to give in on this one.”

“But what about your career?” Ali asked as they started to have the same conversation they’d had every other week since they discovered this problem back in May. “Your hard work is just starting to pay off. People are starting to figure out who you are. You’re getting more sponsorships than ever. It’d be crazy to change your name now honey.”

“I won’t change my name professionally” the keeper countered. “I’ll keep Harris for my public persona. But I’ll officially, legally change my name to Ashlyn Krieger. And our kids will be Kriegers. Then, after I retire, when nobody cares about me anymore, I’ll be Ashlyn Krieger all the time.”

Ashlyn looked plaintively at her fiancée as they anxiously held hands. Ali blinked back at her and then looked over at Mattie.

“What do we do?” the brunette asked.

“I feel it’s important to point out that you both want the same thing for, I think, the same reasons. Let’s not lose sight of that as we try to work through this and find a solution. Ok?” the therapist stated as she considered everything both women had expressed. “Have either of you shifted your position at all? Maybe even just a little bit?”

They looked at each other and then back at their therapist glumly.

“It’s not really something we can meet each other halfway on doc” the blonde said with a heavy sigh.

“That’s why we’re so stuck I think” Ali added and squeezed Ashlyn’s hands.

They talked for several more minutes, Mattie peppering them with questions and trying to propose potential solutions. She had to admit there was no easy answer.

“This is crazy. We have to make a decision.” The frustration was evident in the keeper’s voice. “I didn’t want to have to play this card, but, technically, you proposed to me. You asked me to marry you. That means I take your name.”

Ali chuckled, thinking her fiancée was just teasing with her. When she lifted her head and looked into the dark hazel eyes of her love, she realized that Ashlyn was serious.

“Are you kidding me?” the brunette asked in disbelief. “That’s ridiculous.”

“I don’t know what else to do!” Ashlyn stood up suddenly and began slowly pacing around the room as she spoke. “I’ve been trying to find a way to be ok with letting your name go. I really have. I love doing things that make you happy Ali, and I’d love to be able to do this for you too...” her voice cracked and she turned her back on Ali and the therapist.

“But what Ashlyn?” Mattie prodded her.

“I just...”

“What is it Ash?” the brunette pleaded. “Please tell me.”

Ashlyn turned around to face Ali with a grimace on her beautiful face.

“I just really want this Al. I can’t explain it any better than I already have.” The blonde grabbed the back of her neck with one hand and shifted her weight from one foot to the other as she tried to keep her voice steady. “Honestly, if Chris and Beth hadn’t just had the baby I probably would have given in on this. I just can’t say no to you baby. But they’ve given us the next generation of Harrises already.” She paused and took another deep breath before kneeling in front of her fiancée and taking her hands again. “Would you really hate it so much if I took your name? I mean, I know you want to take mine, but what if we were the Kriegers? Would that be so awful?”

Ali tilted her head a little as she looked down and chewed on her bottom lip before answering in a small voice.

“No...but that’s not...”

“Then I want to be a Krieger” the keeper interrupted softly. “Please Al, let me have this one. It’s not very often that I push back on anything. Please.”

The room was very quiet for a few minutes as they held hands. Ali’s head was still down and their hour had run out fifteen minutes earlier but nobody moved or said anything. The brunette thought hard about what Ashlyn had said. She thought about all of the times that the blonde had let Ali have her way. All of the times that she had agreed to do whatever it was exactly the way the brunette wanted it done. All of the times she had just gone along with what her fiancée wanted, whether it was something small like where to eat dinner or how to arrange things in the refrigerator, or something big like drawing up their wills or, literally, every part of the wedding planning. There were a thousand times when her keeper had simply said ‘ok, whatever you want honey’ and then happily complied with Ali’s way. 

“You really want this that much?” Ali asked quietly, looking up and meeting the blonde’s shimmering eyes. 

“I do” Ashlyn answered, barely above a whisper. “I do.”

//

Kyle and Luna came to stay at the big old house the third weekend in August. Ashlyn and Whitney were travelling with the team to play Chicago that Sunday evening so the two siblings had the house to themselves. Well, the dogs had a lot to say about that too. Persey and Fred loved Luna and she was such a sweet girl about tolerating all their foolish puppiness. That weekend was supposed to be a stress-reducing time for the brunette. That was the whole reason Kyle came up for the week, to help his baby sister get ready for her big day. But Ali wasn’t stressed out. She was freakishly calm. Everyone kept waiting for her to crack under the pressure. She was sure there had been bets taken on exactly when she would lose her shit in the run-up to the wedding. But she just felt ready. They had prepared as much as possible and had worked hard to get all of the little details ironed out. The only things she had to worry about, really, were the weather and getting everybody settled in to the big old house or the nearby hotel. It was all just logistics.

The elder Krieger was happy to get away from his life in NYC anyway. His break-up with Nico had been difficult and he had been through a rough few weeks. Ali had tried to get him to come up and visit for the week of her birthday but Ashlyn had had to get involved behind the scenes and tell him about her Bermuda surprise so he didn’t screw it up for them. Kyle kept pushing his sister’s invitations off by saying he didn’t want to leave Luna alone again. Ali finally called him on it and told him to bring her along too. Problem solved. Their weekend together had been wonderful. They reverted to their teenage selves and watched superhero movies, spent the day Sunday in their pajamas and ate ice cream right from the container as they cuddled under a blanket on the couch. It was silly and simple and wonderful and it was just what they both needed. 

The Breakers came home on Monday after beating the Red Stars. They had gone 1-1-1 for the month of August, playing North Carolina to a draw at home, travelling to Portland to lose to the mighty Thorns, and then picking up the road win in Chicago. They had their off-week right after the Chicago game and didn’t have to be back for training until the Monday after the wedding.

The first visitor to arrive, besides Kyle, was Debbie Christopher. She flew in early Tuesday morning and was staying at the big old house until her husband Mike arrived Thursday, just in time for the rehearsal dinner. Then they were moving to one of the rooms in the hotel. Ali wanted her mom with her but the hotel was so close and Deb had insisted. She knew the house would be a zoo and she didn’t want to be in the way. But she cherished her time there with her kids, and all of her grandpuppies, before the days got too hectic. 

The Harris clan arrived on Wednesday and took their places in the hotel – Mike and Chris, and the big old house – Gram and Tammye. Beth had decided to stay home with baby John because he was just too little and neither she nor Chris felt comfortable with him making the trip. Everyone was sad, but understood the decision. The Breakers next game, after the off-week, was an away game in Orlando. The game was Sunday night and Ashlyn and Ali were flying down Friday afternoon to spend some time with their new godson before the keeper’s team duties took over. Waiting an extra week and a half to see him was ok, knowing it was only a week and a half. Ashlyn tried to convince her father to stay at the house with them. The pull-out in the office was still available. But Mike was adamant about staying at the hotel with Chris and some of the other guests. 

“I think I hurt my dad’s feelings by giving him the office instead of one of the other bedrooms” Ashlyn had confessed Wednesday afternoon as everybody was getting settled. “What should I do?”

“I don’t think he’s upset at all babe” Ali replied, hugging her girl as they stood looking out the kitchen window. “I think they’re trying to give us some space.”

“You do?”

“Yeah, my mom did the same thing when I tried to get her to stay here too. She said Mike really wanted to stay at the hotel but I know they’re just trying to be nice and stay out of the way.”

“I never thought about it like that before” Ashlyn nodded as she considered the idea. “I bet everybody’s afraid of us” she chuckled and squeezed Ali tight.

“Afraid of us?” Ali laughed. “What the hell for?”

“Well, I said ‘us’ because I’m nice but, really, people are afraid you’re gonna blow.”

“What?!” the brunette swatted her keeper’s butt and pulled back to look at her grinning face. “I’m surprisingly calm. I can’t believe it myself.”

“I know” Ashlyn raised her eyebrows. “That’s what’s freaking everybody out. You can’t possibly stay this calm for the whole week. They don’t want to be here when you finally lose it.” The blonde giggled and gave her fiancée a sweet kiss.

One of the most eagerly anticipated guests also arrived Wednesday afternoon. Meg and Hannah would be staying in Meg’s room through Saturday. Then Hannah was flying off to meet Dev and leaving Meg behind for her first August vacation in Gloucester by herself. Ashlyn and Ali would bring her back with them when they flew to Orlando, making a normally unnecessary connection in DC along the way. Dev had ended up having to travel for work so he couldn’t make it to the wedding. They were originally going to stay, all three of them, in the hotel but when Ashlyn heard it was just Meg and Hannah she made sure they stayed in Meg’s room instead. Whitney, in one of her rare outspoken moments, had told her best friend in no uncertain terms what a terrible idea that was. But the keeper explained that she had already cleared it with Ali and the brunette was fine with having them stay at the house.

“You are marrying a goddamned saint, I swear” the defender had muttered as she walked away shaking her head.

Truthfully, Ali hadn’t been thrilled about Hannah sleeping in the next room on her wedding night. She loved having Meg around. The little girl had already worked her way into the brunette’s heart, but Ashlyn’s ex-girlfriend was a horse of a different color. When Ali brought it up with her keeper, she was pleasantly surprised to find out her sweet fiancée was already a step ahead of her.

“Not even I’m that dense Al” Ashlyn had teased her. “As much as I love having our house full of the people we love, I’m not sharing our wedding night with anybody.” Her eyes twinkled brightly as she grinned.

“What did you do?” Ali asked excitedly. 

She knew she should be upset with her fiancée because they had decided, together, that they would just spend the whole weekend hanging out at the house and the beach with friends and family and not waste more money on an extra hotel room for their wedding night. They weren’t kids and they certainly weren’t virgins so they were willing to be practical on that issue. They were not exchanging wedding gifts either, opting to save that money for the honeymoon in January. But the brunette could not keep the smile off of her face as she waited for Ashlyn to tell her where they were spending their first night as a married couple.

“I got us a suite at the Beauport” the blonde admitted a little nervously. She knew it was expensive and a little unnecessary. She also knew they had decided not to do anything like that so she was sure she was going to get an earful from her fiancée. “I know we said...” she started to plead her case but was interrupted by a passionate kiss from the brunette.

“I love it” she said breathlessly when they pulled apart for air. “Thank you Ash.”

“And you can get ready there too, if you want. It’s closer to the castle and I thought it would be fun for you three queens to get all dolled up in stylish surroundings.”

“Could you be any more perfect?” Ali kissed her again, nose-crinkling smile covering her face. “Thank you so much honey.”

Both women wanted to honor some of the wedding traditions they had grown to love and respect over the years. Others they were happy to let go. As usual, they quickly agreed on what would stay and what would not. There would be a first dance and the dance with the parents and the wedding party. They were planning to toss the bouquet and the garter at the reception, and feed each other some wedding cake. Ali’s only caveat had been, of course, that Ashlyn not make a mess of her make-up. The tradition that they both kind of liked but found themselves not really wanting to do as the day got closer was the not seeing the bride on the wedding day before the wedding thing. It was sweet and oddly romantic, they both agreed. But when they talked about Ashlyn sleeping at the hotel by the beach the night before their wedding, neither of them liked it very much. They’d been sleeping together for over eighteen months and the truth was they just slept better when they were together. And Ashlyn traveled so much that they simply found it wasteful to not sleep together if they actually physically could. The photographer was also pushing them to do what the wedding planner called a ‘first look’ shot. This was an arranged meeting of the happy couple, who hadn’t seen each other all day, so they could get a look at each other before the actual wedding started. They decided against it, both wanting to wait until the ceremony for the big reveal.

The logistics of transporting people around Gloucester threatened to stress both women to their limits. Deb & Mike solved that one by renting a passenger van for the weekend. There were enough sober people in the family so there would always be an available driver. Chris took point on it though, happy to have something productive and simple to do to help expend his nervous energy. He became the unofficial chauffeur for the Krieger-Harris wedding weekend. The hotel was about a mile from Good Harbor beach so it was an easy walk back and forth to the big old house. Ashlyn and Ali wanted the house to be the hub for everybody. They didn’t want people spending tons of money eating out all the time. They ordered and stocked a ton of food so anyone could stop at the house and grab something to eat or drink whenever they wanted. Everyone was pleased with how it had all been planned out. It was comfortable and easy and relaxed both at the hotel and at the house. Ashlyn took charge each evening to remind everybody that had obligations where they needed to be the next day. 

There were only two times that things got tense. The first was when Chris asked Kyle where Nico was, in front of everybody late Wednesday afternoon as they were just settling in from the airport. It had been almost two months since they broke up and this was the first time Kyle had done anything big and super social with family. He was determined to turn a corner that weekend and start getting back to his normal cheerful self. He was tired of being sad and depressed about his lost love. Everyone was standing in the mudroom and living room as they got ready to bring luggage to each bedroom. Chris and Kyle were the voluntary pack mules for the weekend and it made Chris wish another strong guy was there to help. Which made him ask where Nico was. Of course he knew they had split up. But in his sleep-deprived, newborn baby-addled, new-parent stressed brain he had forgotten for a moment.

“Christopher!” Tammye had gasped when she heard her son’s thoughtless question.

There had been a chorus of small, critical outbursts directed at the new father. His sister punched him hard in his arm and looked like she was going to rip his face off.

“Fuck, man, I’m so sorry” he stammered, slowly realizing his mistake. His face turned beet red. “I’m an asshole bro. Fuck. I’m sorry.” 

Kyle’s face had registered the blow by looking shocked, then turning pale and finally blushing pink as he tried to smile and shrug it off. He met Chris’ eyes as they stood at the foot of the front stairs and saw the heartfelt apology in them. Chris put the two suitcases down and hugged him sideways, not able to move much because of the luggage and the close quarters. Kyle didn’t move. He stood there, a suitcase in each hand, and closed his eyes as Chris hugged him. 

“It’s ok.” Kyle’s voice was soft but his face started to form a small smile. “I’m good.”

Chris slapped him on the back and then gripped the back of Kyle’s neck affectionately. There weren’t many guys that Kyle felt physically smaller than, but Chris was one of them. He was a big dude and Kyle was touched by his show of contrition.

“Well let’s see somebody beat that for shithead move of the weekend” Chris chuckled and shook his head at himself. “The bar has been set.”

“Really fucking high” Ashlyn added and kneed her brother in the butt as he bent over to pick up the suitcases and follow Kyle up the stairs.

The second time things got tense was a few hours later when Ashlyn walked into the big old house with Meg and Hannah, fresh from the airport. It had been Whitney who had first brought up the situation weeks ago when she and her best friend were talking about sleeping arrangements for the weekend. Gram and Hannah would be living in the same house for three nights and they hadn’t seen or spoken to each other since the obnoxious redhead had made such a scene at Ashlyn’s birthday party at Gram’s house two years ago. The keeper hadn’t thought about Hannah causing Gram discomfort at the wedding weekend because Hannah didn’t really cause her any discomfort any more. She couldn’t really call them friends, but she didn’t really have a beef with Hannah any longer. They would be more aptly described as allies. They helped each other out when they were called upon with Meg being the unifying element in their odd relationship.

The keeper called her Grandmother that night and explained what she wanted to do and why. She asked Gram to be honest with her and tell her if it would bother her in any way to have Hannah staying at the house with them.

“To be honest Bashy, I don’t think about her at all” Gram had explained over the phone with a sigh. “Once you cut her out of your life like the tumor that she was, I haven’t spared her another thought.” She listened to her granddaughter ask her some other questions before cutting her off. “Honey, if she’s brave enough to come into your house with all of us there then she’s a better woman than I gave her credit for. Not much better, but then my opinion of her was pretty low to begin with” she chuckled. “Don’t you worry about me, or any of us. We know she’s not the one you’re inviting into your home. She’s just a by-product and in time she’ll be gone entirely.”

“So you’re sure you’re ok with it?” the blonde asked one last time.

“I’m fine with it. Thank you for thinking about me honey, but we’ll all be good to her while we’re together. For Meg’s sake.”

As they stood there in the mudroom, Hannah and Meg looked into the living room hesitantly. Ali and Whitney both stood up and walked around the coffee table so the little girl could see them. They were the only familiar faces in the room. It took a minute but when Hannah pointed them out to the toddler, Meg’s face lit up in recognition.

“Ali! Whitty!” she yelled and ran into the living room towards them.

She wrapped one leg from each woman into a hug as they both bent down to hug and hold her too. Persey and Fred jumped from their places on the couch and ran over to join the new game with the very small person. Meg felt the caramel puppy stick his wet nose right into her ear and sniff it. She squealed with delight as she turned to face both pups and receive their licks and wags. Whitney and Ali helped her fend them off until they calmed down a bit and then they all went out into the backyard to play. Most of the group, and Luna, joined them. Hannah turned to follow and met Gram face to face in the mudroom.

“Oh” she said, surprised.

“Don’t worry, I won’t bite you” Gram said with a slight chuckle.

“Oh no, you just startled me, that’s all” Hannah said as she swallowed hard. 

Tammye came out of the bathroom at that moment and stopped short when she met them in the mudroom. All three women glanced at each other warily. Gram’s hazel eyes were dancing a little bit, almost as if she were enjoying the moment.

Hannah took a deep breath and cleared her throat.

“I owe you an apology, all of you” the redhead said solemnly as she looked from Gram to Tammmye and then nodded towards the mudroom door trying to include the whole Harris family. “I behaved like a real beast the last time I saw you and I’m really sorry.” She swallowed again and nervously smoothed out the bottom of her shirt. “There’s no excuse, but I want you to know that I wasn’t myself that day” she laughed nervously. “Not for a few months actually.” She looked up again, hoping one of them would toss her a life line and help her out of the awkwardness that was sucking her down. “I’m not here to cause any trouble. I couldn’t be happier for Ash. I’m just here for Meg” she explained as if they didn’t know how she had gotten in the door. “Anyway, I’m very sorry.”

“It was good of you to bring her up for this” Gram finally said with a small nod of her head. “You’ve made Ashlyn very happy and we appreciate that.”

Tammye nodded in agreement and patted Hannah lightly on her arm as if to direct her outside to join everybody else. 

“Let’s go get a look at your adorable daughter” Tammye suggested warmly.

An hour later, Ashlyn looked around the backyard and felt so many emotions hit her all at once that it literally took her breath away. Everyone had come up from the hotel for a little backyard cookout. Ken, Vicki and the boys had joined them as well as Sydney and Dom and Syd’s mom. It was a beautiful 80 degree evening and everybody was relaxed and happy. Meg was playing with the puppies under Chris’ close supervision, with Whitney and Kyle and Hannah sitting nearby. The older men were huddled around the grill debating whether or not the burgers were really ready or not. It was the quietest debate Ashlyn had ever seen in her life. Deb ended it by swooping in with a serving platter and telling them to load it up, pronto. She waved at Tammye, Vicki and Gram who were watching and laughing from inside the kitchen window. Dom laughed loudly as he kicked a soccer ball with Koty and Tanner along the other side of the house, a safe distance from his wife and mother-in-law who were sitting close by. His laugh caused Boss to jump off of Sydney’s lap and investigate, barking aggressively at absolutely nothing. Everyone turned to look towards the loud little dog and, as if realizing he had to do something because he had an audience, Boss starting running as fast as he could around the yard. He sprinted all along the far side of the house, ignoring Dom’s calls to come. He darted around legs and chairs and the grill and before he had completed half a lap the puppies had fallen in behind him, desperately trying to keep up. All three dogs raced around the yard, randomly barking and whining at each other as everyone else watched and laughed. Luna finally got up to join them on the third lap but this speedy sprinting wasn’t her forte. She was much bigger than the puppies and she couldn’t stop and turn on a dime like Boss could. It was slowly dawning on Kyle that there was going to be a problem when they came around the corner for another lap. He knew his dog wouldn’t be able to navigate the sharp turn by the grill. She would either run straight into the fence or wipe out Meg, Chris and probably Whitney when she veered off course to avoid the fence. Kyle stood up quickly and called Luna, trying to get her to change course earlier and come to him in a safer area. 

Ashlyn’s eyes danced as she laughed along with everybody else watching the dogs run around the yard. She stopped following the dogs when she caught the most beautiful whiskey colored eyes in the world staring back at her from across the yard. The two women grinned at each other as if it was their first date. They didn’t see Chris lift Meg up to safety and Whitney and Hannah jump out of the way of the impending collision. They didn’t notice Kyle bravely putting himself in the path of the little dogs to try and steer their course and make a better angle for his bigger dog. They barely registered the shouts and yelps as Kyle went down in a heap after Luna took his legs out from underneath him. She finally tumbled to a stop right where Chris stood with Meg, who was gleefully clapping her hands. The puppies rolled only a few feet past Kyle, quickly getting up and jumping on top of him to lick his face and try whatever this new game was. Luna righted herself and joined the puppies as Boss continued his sprint and jumped right back up into Sydney’s lap again. He sat down with his tongue hanging out and a smile on his face, happy with the chaos he had created. 

All of that was just background noise to Ashlyn and her beautiful brunette. They literally only had eyes for one another as they each gazed lovingly at their favorite face. Ali bit her bottom lip and ducked her head down shyly when Ashlyn’s dimple appeared. Their private moment only lasted a couple of minutes, even though it felt like time had stopped for them as they shared it. Soon the keeper heard Meg calling her name excitedly to talk about the great dog race they had just seen. Ashlyn bent down and picked the little girl up, eyes still on her gorgeous fiancée, as Meg explained how it had been just like her favorite book ‘Go Dog Go!’. She winked at her love and then turned her attention to the 5 year old in her arms. Ashlyn’s heart felt like it was going to burst right out of her chest. She had never been so happy in her entire life.


	20. Rehearsal

After a relaxing day at the beach it was hard to get showered and changed for the wedding rehearsal and subsequent dinner on Thursday evening. Nobody really felt like doing it, not even Ali.

“Oh I just want to keep today exactly as it is” the brunette whined as she stepped out of the shower. “It’s been such a perfect day. I’m almost afraid of tonight” she chuckled nervously. “Something has to go wrong at some point, right?”

“Well, I hope it’s tonight then and not tomorrow” the keeper smiled as she finished getting dressed. 

She took her time putting her jewelry on so she could watch Ali dry herself off through the open bathroom door. The keeper felt a twinge between her legs as she admired the beautiful brunette. Ali flipped her long wet hair over her back and stood up, wrapping the towel around herself and smiling bashfully when she noticed Ashlyn watching her.

“Good God you’re a beautiful woman” the blonde said softly, her voice full of emotion. “Just incredible.”

The brunette blushed. “You’re not so bad yourself” she replied as she took in Ashlyn and her outfit. 

The keeper wore cream colored linen dress pants and a crisp button up dress shirt with brown suspenders and two-tone cream and brown oxford shoes. It was a very similar outfit to what she wore the year before to Chris and Beth’s jack and jill party in Florida. This time her short-sleeved shirt was pale purple lilac, the accent color Ali had selected for the wedding, with muted flowers faintly printed in a slightly darker shade of purple. She wore her short pearl necklace and pearl stud earrings again too. 

“I know you like this outfit” she grinned back at the brunette who had taken three steps towards her and placed her hands on Ashlyn’s chest, smoothly running them across the beautiful shirt. “Do you like the shirt? I just got it. It was hard to find one that wasn’t too pink.”

“I love this shirt” Ali purred as she leaned up and kissed the keeper softly. “Almost as much as I love what’s underneath it.”

Ashlyn felt another jolt in her core and swallowed. It had been a long day of watching her fiancée on the beach in a sexy bikini. The blonde had been worked up for hours already with no hope of relief in sight. She had thought about getting herself off in the shower but they were pressed for time and it was her job to make sure everybody got to the castle promptly for rehearsal. That’s why she had showered before Ali. The castle charged by the hour so they had to start precisely at 4pm and be done not one minute past 5pm.

“Damn Al” she groaned as she closed her eyes and prayed for strength.

“You look so hot babe” Ali breathed into the keeper’s ear as she tugged on her earlobe, carefully avoiding the pearl.

Ashlyn opened her eyes and jumped back a step.

“Gotta go” she said hoarsely as she tried to slow down her racing libido. “You’re killing me.” 

She chuckled as she went out into the hall to check on Meg. Ali giggled as she began to blow dry her hair. The keeper was back within a minute, mumbling to herself about forgetting to do her make-up and trying desperately not to look in Ali’s direction. She sat down at the dressing table and opened her make-up bag with shaking hands.

“Just can’t stay away huh?” Ali teased as she poked her head out of the bathroom. 

“Please Ali, I’m begging you” Ashlyn whined, looking directly into the mirror and not at the smirking brunette. “Just...keep your distance or we’ll never get out of here.”

“That’s what you get for looking so good. It’s your own damned fault really” she giggled and went back to the blow drier. 

Miraculously, everyone made the 15 minute drive from Good Harbor beach to the Hammond Castle and arrived on time for the rehearsal. The whole wedding party was there and all six parents of the brides. Ali’s cousin Rachael had driven down with Little Allie so she could participate in the rehearsal and practice her flower girl duties. Reverend Janet from the Unitarian Universalist Church in town, the church Grandma Lilian had switched over to after Ashlyn had come out to her, and the wedding planner they had been working with from the castle put everybody through their paces. Ali and Ashlyn had met with Reverend Janet a few times over the past couple of months to get to know her and so she could get to know them a little bit. They weren’t church-goers yet, but when they were ready to make that a part of their lives they knew which church they would attend. Mrs. Riley had made the initial introduction and explained to the Reverend who Ashlyn was so when the couple went to their first meeting it wasn’t quite as awkward.

Ashlyn had never really understood the need for the rehearsal. Maybe she hadn’t been to the type of wedding that was so intricate and involved that people actually got confused about what their job was. But it had always just seemed like a waste of time to the blonde. The rehearsal for her own wedding was even more unnecessary because nothing was set up for their wedding. They couldn’t do the set up until the castle closed for business at 4pm the next day. So the rehearsal was even more vague than a normal wedding rehearsal might have been. The wedding planner from the castle walked them through where everything would be set up. Ashlyn was a very visual person so she could picture what the planner was describing in her mind’s eye. But for most everybody else, it was just confusing. Meg and Little Allie were adorable but it had been hard for them to understand why they were there that day. Ali told the blonde that it was good for everybody to at least see the castle and find out where it was and where they should park and all of those basics. It had at least been good for that, Ashlyn had to agree.

The rehearsal dinner was going to be the highlight of the night and everybody was looking forward to it. When they arrived at the seaside restaurant in Rockport the hostess took them back to the private room they had reserved for the special occasion. The restaurant was on the Northern edge of Cape Ann and there was a spectacular view of the sunset over the water as they dined together. The west facing wall of the private dining room was almost all glass and by about 7:30pm the whole room was filled with the glorious reds and oranges of the setting sun. They all crowded into photograph after photograph, trying to capture the majesty of it on their smart phones. 

As people started to leave and make their drives home or to the hotel, some stragglers remained in the private dining room. Music, comprised mainly of standards and classics, was being piped into the room through speakers and Ashlyn pulled the brunette up to dance. There wasn’t an official dance floor in the room, but the area in the middle of the room was big enough and would suffice. Ali looked beautiful in her new, little black dress. She wore her hair in a high pony tail and tied a silk ribbon, pale purple lilac, around it to match her keeper. They smiled and held each other close as they moved together to the music. 

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you look more beautiful than you do tonight” Ali confessed as she pressed a kiss to her keeper’s lips while they danced. “You’re amazing Ash. Just amazing.”

“Thanks baby” Ashlyn said, blushing slightly and gazing back into Ali’s warm, cinnamon eyes. “You make everything around you look good, including me.”

“No way babe, you’re not getting away with that modest act tonight.” Ali shook her head and raised an eyebrow to challenge her fiancée. “This is your wedding too. And just because you haven’t planned it out since you were a little girl doesn’t make it any less special.” The brunette kissed her again. “You’re the bride too and I want you to have the best day tomorrow. Will you please be a little selfish and make sure your day is perfect for you? Pretty please?”

“I promise I’ll try, How’s that princess?” the blonde chuckled and spun Ali around.

Slowly, one by one, the rest of the stragglers joined them in the middle of the room, because why not? Before too long Sydney and Dom even jumped in with Ali sending a warning glance to her best friend. The brunette playfully threatened the coach with bodily harm if she over-exerted herself and caused the baby to come early. Deb and Mike Christopher danced cheek to cheek and showed all the young couples how it was done. Whitney was sad and missing Ryan who couldn’t make it to the wedding because his pro lacrosse team was away for a game that weekend. But she gamely nodded her head when Kyle asked her to join him for a dance. There were no fancy lights or exciting fog or smoke effects. It was just people enjoying themselves in one of the simplest and purest ways they possibly could. 

Earlier in the evening, between dinner and dessert, Ashlyn and Ali had given their gifts to their wedding party. They were all seated at the same round table, Ali sat between her two attendants with Dom on the other side of Sydney, and Ashlyn sat between hers. The blonde started with her best friend.

“Whit, I can’t even begin to tell you how much I love you and how much it means to me to have you with me through every part of this” she moved her head around in a circle. “I’m not being melodramatic when I say this either” she paused for effect. “Without you, this isn’t happening. I may never have pulled my head out of my ass if you hadn’t” she cleared her throat “pointed out what an idiot I was being.”

All seven of them laughed knowingly and Ashlyn even blushed a little bit. 

“What do you get for the person who literally helped you find your way to your entire world?” she asked rhetorically. “These are just a small token of my gratitude for everything you’ve done for me. And Ali. For both of us.” She leaned over and hugged the defender for a long minute, leaving the jewelry box in front of Whitney as they separated. 

“I can’t take much credit really. It was so obvious to us” Whitney said and nodded conspiratorially across the table at Sydney “that you two were made for each other. We just had to do a little steering here and there when you started to lose your way every once in a while.” She paused and grinned at both Ashlyn and Ali. “It was nothing that you wouldn’t do for me. And I’m just so happy for you both. Really.” 

She stopped when her voice started to crack under the emotion of the moment. She opened the jewelry box and beamed when she saw the beautiful gem drop earrings. 

“Is that yellow topaz?” she asked and looked up at Ashlyn, surprised.

“Yes ma’am. Your birthstone. I hope the setting is ok. They kind of match the necklace from your grandmother...”

“Oh Ash, they’re perfect” Whitney cut her off with another quick hug. “Thank you so much.”

Ali turned to her best friend next and scooched her chair right up next to Sydney’s so she could put her arm around her shoulder and hold her hand as she spoke.

“I feel the same way about you. What Ash said about Whit and how we wouldn’t be sitting here right now without her...I could say the exact same thing about you.” The brunette dabbed at a tear that had formed in her eye before continuing. “You’ve helped me through so many things in my life, it makes complete sense that you would need to help me not mess this part up too.” She chuckled as Sydney squeezed her hand. “Words will never be enough, and neither will these, but I wanted you to have something almost as beautiful as you are my boo boo. I hope you like them.”

The two women hugged for minute and then chuckled together after Sydney whispered something in Ali’s ear. When they finally separated, both with tears in their eyes, Sydney opened the jewelry box in front of her to reveal another beautiful pair of gem drop earrings. Sydney’s were striking emeralds and she gasped when she saw them.

“Alibaba, they’re gorgeous” she breathed out as she held them up for everyone else at the table to see.

“Emeralds and rubies forever” Ali said quietly and smiled at her best friend.

“Emeralds and rubies forever” Sydney repeated their slogan, crafted by their eleven year old selves in middle school. 

It was their own rallying cry and reminder for when one of them felt down or discouraged. They had been having a pretty heated argument about whose birthstone was more beautiful – Ali’s ruby or Sydney’s emerald. They had taken their dispute to the Krieger kitchen for Deb to settle once and for all. Wise Deb had turned it into a lesson about beauty coming in all different shapes and colors and gemstones. She had counseled the girls to appreciate both gemstones equally just as they appreciated the differences between each other and still saw each other as equals. As they grew older over the years they adapted the slogan and used it to fit many different and difficult scenarios. It would always mean something very special to both women and Sydney was beyond touched that Ali had found a way to incorporate it into her big day.

Ashlyn waited a few minutes as Sydney and Ali collected themselves and then turned to her other side and smiled broadly at her big brother.

“Bubba, my main man. I’m not even going to try to tell you what you mean to me because we’ll be here all fucking night and I’ll be crying like a baby” she laughed and so did Chris. “All I can say is thank you. Thank you for being there for me through all the shitty times and for working so hard to come back to us as the man I knew you could be. I love you.” 

She hugged him and was surprised to hear nothing come out of the big man’s mouth as he held her tightly to his chest. She looked at him as he pulled back and saw that he was barely holding it together, tears about to spill out over his eyelids at any second.

“Here” she slid the small white box in front of him. “I hope you like it.”

Chris opened the box and saw Grandpa John’s silver pocket knife. It was shiny and beautiful and the big man was stunned into silence. He cleared his throat as if he was going to say something but couldn’t get any words to form. He lifted the knife carefully in his big fingers and rubbed his thumb along the side of it where Grandpa’s initials ‘JEB’ had been engraved back in 1938. 

“Grandpa told me his father had given him this on his 18th birthday” Chris finally managed to choke out, face red with emotion. “I’m sure he had planned to give it to one of his own sons...” the tears finally rolled down his cheeks.

Kyle, in the next seat, reached over and put his hand on Chris’ shoulder and left it there, supportively squeezing it now and then. Ashlyn did the same thing from the other side as Chris stabbed at his eyes with the thumb from his free hand. Everyone at the table was struck by how emotional the normally gregarious man had become.

“I’m sorry” he choked out, embarrassed. “I just never thought I’d see this again. Where the hell did you find it Bash?”

“Remember those two old boxes up in the garage that we kept saying we’d get to but never did?”

“Holy shit” he said and shook his head as a smile that looked more like a grimace spread across his bearded face. “This is amazing.”

“Turn it over” Ashlyn prompted softly.

He flipped the knife over in his hand and looked up at his sister with such adoration and love that Ashlyn started to tear up. She had added an engraving to the other side of the knife, ‘CRH’, his own initials.

“Now you can keep it and give it to your boy one day” she managed to get out before she got too choked up.

“Thank you sis” he whispered as he hugged her again.

After a few minutes of quiet where the table tried to get their emotions back in check so they didn’t cause a scene for the rest of the room, Kyle finally leaned back in his chair and laughed.

“It sucks to be you sissie and have to follow that” he joked and nodded to his left at Chris and Ashlyn, before winking at Ali.

“No kidding” she chuckled and rolled her eyes. “I don’t have a family heirloom to give you BB, and I’m not sure I’d trust you with a sharp object anyway” she teased, making everyone laugh. “And I can’t even begin to talk about how much I love you and how lucky I am to have you in my life.” She stopped as her voice broke and cut off. “See?” she croaked out.

Kyle pulled her chair over to him and wrapped her in a hug. He was in no mood for another dramatic display. He and his sister had shared many heart to heart conversations over the past several weeks and he was tired of it. He wanted to laugh and be light that weekend after spending so much time in the darkness after his heartbreaking split with Nico.

“I love you too Alex. Always” he said quietly and then pulled back, keeping his strong arm around her shoulders.

“Ok, ok” she took two deep breaths. “These aren’t fancy jewels which I’m realizing now probably would have been what you really would have liked” she giggled and leaned her head against his shoulder. “But I hope you like them and wear them proudly. I love you Ky.”

She kissed him on his cheek and watched as he opened the box she handed him. Inside were silver cufflinks and a matching silver tiepin, each engraved with the letter ‘K’. The cufflinks were big but not gaudy, and stylish but not flashy.

“Wow, these are gorgeous. I may finally have to learn how to clean silver for these puppies” he joked and then broke into a huge grin. “I love them” he squeezed his sister again. “And I love you.”

When they were finally finished, other family members came over to look at the beautiful and thoughtful gifts. Tammye cried when she saw her father’s pocket knife and Deb beamed when Ali and Sydney told her about their emeralds and rubies forever slogan. Dessert was served just in time to save everyone from a full scale emotional overload.

Just after dessert Ken Krieger caught his daughter’s eye from his spot near the entrance to the private dining room. Ali stood up as he nodded over his shoulder. She paused when she saw her mother standing behind him. Deb pointed twice at Ashlyn, telling her daughter to bring her fiancée with her.

“What’s up you guys?” Ali asked, her curiosity piqued by the slightly cloak and dagger meeting just outside the main entrance of the restaurant.

“Oh tonight has been wonderful” Deb enthused as she hugged her daughter and then Ashlyn. “And you both look so beautiful.”

Ali and Ashlyn hugged her back and exchanged confused looks.

“Thanks mom” Ali replied, wrapping her arm around her mother’s waist and giving her a side hug.

“We know you’ve got a lot going on and just weren’t sure when the best time to do this would be so...” Deb continued, looking from the younger women to her ex-husband.

“Well, as I’m sure you know, we’ve been planning for this weekend for a long time” Ken picked up where Deb left off. His face held a smile but his eyes moved nervously from one face to another as he spoke. “And we know you girls have paid for everything on your own and, while we respect that tremendously, we’d like you to have the money that we’ve been saving up for your wedding Alex.” He pulled a check out of the breast pocket of his blazer and handed it to his daughter, locking eyes with her and enjoying the way she looked back at him with so much love.

“Dad, mom...” Ali began hesitantly as she took the check from her father without looking at it. “I know you’ve been saving for this but we’d really rather you do something for yourselves with it.”

“Alex” Deb’s voice was low and serious. “This is not negotiable. Your father and I will not take no for an answer. You girls deserve it and we’re happy to be able to do it so please just take it and use it to pay for part of this beautiful weekend.”

“Or use it for your honeymoon. Whatever you want” Ken said as they all hugged each other again.

“Thank you both very much” Ashlyn said seriously. “But I don’t feel right about this at all. I know my parents won’t be able to contribute very much and it just doesn’t seem fair...”

“Ash” Ali said softly and squeezed her fiancée’s hand that she was holding. “We talked about this. It’s ok. Nobody’s keeping score of anything. Please don’t worry about that.”

Deb and Ken exchanged a quick look, realizing they had hit a nerve that their daughter had clearly already been dealing with. They watched Ashlyn blush slightly and look at her feet as Ali tried to pull her out of her discomfort.

“Ashlyn” Ken moved towards her and put his arm around her shoulder. “I know it may not seem fair in your eyes now, but one day you’ll understand. One day you’ll be having this conversation with one of your children and their spouse-to-be and you’ll understand it from our perspective.” He side-hugged the blonde a little bit tighter. “We are so proud to have you in our family. There’s nobody either of us could ever pick that would be better for our Alex” he looked at Deb as he spoke, including her in the moment. “You’re family now and that means you have to learn to put up with some things that we do that you may not always like” he teased a little, trying to lighten the mood.

Ashlyn hugged the man and patted him on the back a couple of times for good measure. She looked over his shoulder at Ali with a hopeful look on her face. Ali nodded slightly and felt butterflies in her stomach.

“Thank you so much Ken. And Deb. You both have been so wonderful to me and it means so much to me. To both of us” she looked again at Ali and moved to stand next to her for the next part of their impromptu meeting. She felt the brunette tuck into her side as she continued speaking. “And since we’re talking about family now” she paused, suddenly nervous. “Umm we wanted to let you know something we’ve decided too.”

It was Deb and Ken’s turn to look expectantly at each other.

“Well, it took me a long time and a lot of convincing” Ashlyn paused and gave them both a knowing look. “You have no idea how difficult it was for us to come to an agreement on this...” she started to ramble a bit because of her nerves.

Ken shifted his weight anxiously from one foot to the other as Debbie wrung her hands nervously.

“But we wanted you to know, you know, before it was announced tomorrow at the ceremony...”

“We’re going to be Kriegers” Ali finally said with a tentative smile. “Ashlyn’s taking my name.”

She was surprised by how good it felt to say it out loud to her parents. Ali still wasn’t thrilled about it but wasn’t going to go back on her agreement with her keeper. The idea was growing on her and she knew that, in time, she would love it. But standing there in front of her mom and dad it hit her full force. The impact of what they were doing. Deb started to tear up immediately, smiling as she quietly cried. Ken’s face was something a little different. His face twitched like he was in pain or like the nerves were misfiring under his skin. He opened his mouth to say something and closed it. Then he opened it again only to close it again and swallow.

“I hope that’s alright” Ashlyn said anxiously. 

She couldn’t figure out if they had offended Ken or if he was having a medical problem or what was happening. When she had told her own family that she was taking Ali’s name their reactions were pretty plain. They hadn’t seemed upset or happy about it. Before she could stop herself, she heard her own voice again.

“We’ve got another generation of Harrises already and it would be such an honor to bring the next generation of Kriegers into the world...” she continued, regurgitating much of the dialogue she and Ali had shared as they had come to their momentous decision.

“I don’t know what to say” Ken finally got out. “I...you...” he stopped again as tears collected in the corners of his eyes.

“I think what your father’s trying to say is that we’re honored that you chose to use the Krieger name.” Deb’s voice was emotional and her smile was enormous.

“I’m sorry, I’m just surprised” Ken finally said. “You’ve made me very happy. Happier than I thought I could be.” He hugged both girls together. “I had no idea I even wanted this” he said softly, his head between theirs so they could both hear his emotional words. “Thank you” he said as they separated.

They stood there grinning at each other for a minute as they all got used to the check and the Krieger name news. As they started to walk back inside the restaurant to rejoin the group, Ashlyn teased.

“Just so you know, our decision had absolutely nothing to do with the size of that check.”

It was almost 11pm when they finally closed their bedroom door behind them that night. They had returned to the house just after 9:30pm, only to find Tammye and Mike waiting to have a similar conversation with them. Mike went first, handing Ashlyn a check and apologizing for not being able to contribute more. He hugged them both and welcomed Ali to the family before excusing himself and heading back to the hotel. Tammye went next and was much less awkward, although still sorry that her own check couldn’t be bigger. Ashlyn silently noted that her mother’s check was twice as big as her father’s.

“Now try not to judge Ash” Tammye urged. “He’s tried his best, all his life. Things just haven’t come easy for him. And he didn’t make them any easier on himself either” she added ruefully. “And I know I’m no better.”

“Thank you so much mom” the keeper said as she hugged her mother. “You really shouldn’t have. I’m making better money now with the endorsements coming in. I’m not trying to be an ass, but...”

“Thank you very much Tammye” Ali interrupted the blonde in mid-sentence. “It’s very generous of you and we appreciate it.” 

Ali hugged Tammye as Ashlyn tried to figure out what she had said wrong. She hugged her mother after Ali was finished and squeezed her extra tight, trying to apologize for whatever she had said.

“I’m sorry if I was rude...”

“Ashlyn, I’m so proud of all you’ve accomplished honey” Tammye said with a warm smile. “I think Ali realized that there was no way I was going to take that check back and was trying to save you some breath.” She grinned at her future daughter-in-law. “So you two just take it and do whatever you can with it. That will make me so happy. Ok?”

“Ok mom. Thank you, for everything. I...I love you.”

They took the puppies for a quick walk, made sure the house was locked up tight and everybody where they were supposed to be and then climbed up the back stairs. Even after all of the emotional gift-giving and check-receiving, Ashlyn’s baser urges were still simmering under the surface. All it had taken after dinner was a glimpse of Ali’s sexy leg as she climbed into the backseat of the passenger van. Then, on the drive home, the brunette snuggled against her side, her hand absentmindedly rubbing the keeper’s thigh and getting perilously close to where she really wanted to be touched. As they put the puppies into their crates for the night in the mudroom, Ashlyn had caught a whiff of the brunette’s perfume as she stood up from the crate. And one fairly innocent kiss before they left the mudroom had turned sultry before either of them knew what was happening. This was how they found themselves just before 11pm, finally alone in their bedroom.

Ashlyn wasted no time and pushed Ali up against the door to the back stairs they had just closed. She pressed her entire body up against the gorgeous brunette and gave her a searing kiss that lit them both on fire. The keeper ran her hands down Ali’s sides and rested them on her hips, digging her fingertips into the flesh there, trapped beneath her little black dress.

“Mmmmm. Oooh, babe” Ali murmured as the blonde moved her lips to the brunette’s jaw and neck. “God that feels good” she moaned as Ashlyn cupped one of her breasts and squeezed her nipple.

Ashlyn leaned back and pulled her brunette with her, giving her enough space to reach her arms around Ali’s neck and unhook and unzip the dress. Ali sucked in a breath and grabbed Ashlyn, two fistfuls of suspenders and pretty purple shirt. When the keeper felt the warm skin of Ali’s back, once she was unzipped, her own passion pooled between her legs.

“Jesus” she groaned and shifted her weight, pressing herself against Ali’s hip. “This whole fucking night has had me upside down, not knowing which end was up or what was coming next” she spoke quickly and kissed her fiancée’s neck and collar bone every third or fourth word. “The only thing I’ve known for sure is that I needed to feel you Al. All night long it’s felt like you had your hand right between my legs.”

“Show me” Ali breathed out as she crashed their lips together in another passionate kiss.

The brunette groaned into the kiss when she felt Ashlyn take her hand and guide it down between her legs, on top of the crotch of her soft linen pants. Ali felt the heat emanating from her keeper’s core and pulled her other hand down to start working on the belt and zipper hindering her progress.

“Fuck Ash” Ali breathed out as they came up for air. 

“Yes, please baby” Ashlyn husked back in answer.

There was a knock on the other door to the bedroom, the one from the second floor hall. They froze, both hoping they were hearing things and that whoever was on the other side of that door would just go back to bed.

“Ash?” came a soft voice after another knock. “Are you still up?”

“You have got to be fucking kidding me” Ali spat out angrily as she heard Hannah’s voice coming under the door and into their bedroom.


	21. Future Interruptions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut Warning

“Hold on” Ashlyn stepped back and called over her shoulder to the other door. She felt Ali move away and when she turned her head back to the brunette she was already half way to the bathroom, taking her dress off as she went. “Ali, I’m sorry. Just give me a minute, please.”

“You might want to wipe my lipstick off before you go. Or not” the brunette said quietly, without turning around.

Ashlyn straightened her shirt out and zipped her pants up. She looked quickly in the dressing table mirror and rubbed off as much of Ali’s lipstick as she could and then walked quickly to the other door, pulling it open and trying not to scowl.

“What’s up? Is Meg ok?”

“Oh good, you’re still up. I’m really sorry to bother you...”

“Is Meg alright?” the blonde was starting to get concerned.

“She woke up and is having trouble getting back to sleep. I think she’s just excited about the big day tomorrow. But she’s asking for you.” Hannah waited for a second, not wanting to push any buttons or start any trouble. “I don’t think she’s ever slept here and not had you put her to bed.”

Ashlyn’s whole body softened and her face fell, full of regret.

“Gotcha. No problem. I missed her too” she answered honestly and grinned, despite her sexual frustration.

Forty-five minutes later Ashlyn quietly got into bed, trying not to wake her sleeping fiancée. She looked at Ali, lying on her back with her long brown hair splayed across the pillow, and sighed. It was 12:09 am. It was officially their wedding day. She leaned over and gently kissed the brunette’s forehead.

“Happy wedding day baby. I can’t wait to marry you today” she whispered and smiled when she saw her fiancée’s face twitch in her sleep.

The blonde woke up two hours later to a warm tingling sensation spreading throughout her body. She felt warm and safe and...tingly. She could smell Ali’s shampoo and the corners of her mouth turned upwards when she thought of the love of her life, even when she was half asleep. As she swam up towards consciousness she started to feel other things, like a comfortable weight on her hips and stomach and featherlike touches up and down her sides.

“Al?” she asked, hoarsely. “Are you ok?” she asked, finally awake.

The keeper lifted her head up to try and figure out where Ali was and what was going on. As she did so, the brunette sat back up again, straddling Ashlyn’s upper thighs and tossing her hair back over her shoulder. She was completely naked and her dark red nipples were halfway to hard pebbles as she moved her hands all over the blonde’s torso with varying degrees of pressure.

“If this is a dream please don’t wake me up” Ashlyn said in a whisper. 

“I really want to fuck you” Ali husked out as she started grinding against her keeper’s mound. “I need to feel you and taste you...”

Ashlyn put her hands on the brunette’s hips and tilted her own hips up, giving Ali more to grind against. She moved one hand slowly up the brunette’s abdomen, her fingers spread out wide, and continued up until she had a beautiful breast between her fingers, pinching the nipple and bringing it to full attention. The desire shot through her whole body and caused a flood between her legs. The keeper sat up quickly and ripped her t-shirt off, dropping it carelessly beside the bed. The hungry look in her fiancée’s eyes was driving her wild with want. 

“Jesus” was all she could get out as Ali pushed her back down against the pillow with a strong hand in her chest.

The brunette moved down Ashlyn’s legs, dragging her wet pussy along the left one and moaning when she felt the keeper’s knee hit her clit on the way by. She threw the sheet back towards the foot of the bed and then grabbed Ashlyn’s boxer briefs and tugged them down over her feet and off the bed.

“Mmmmmmm” the brunette hummed and licked her lips as she took in the sight of her gorgeous keeper spread out and waiting for her.

Ashlyn propped her head up with another pillow and felt another gush between her legs as she locked eyes with her sultry fiancée. She bent her knees up as Ali settled between her legs, flat on her stomach. 

“I fucking love you” the keeper said, voice full of emotion.

Ali wanted to take her time and enjoy eating her girl out but she was tired and horny and, honestly, afraid of being interrupted again. She let out an uncontrollable groan when she felt how wet Ashlyn was for her.

“So fucking wet babe” Ali moaned and felt her own passion pooling between her legs.

“Oh yesssss” Ashlyn hissed as she felt her brunette’s tongue start to lick through her slick folds. “God that feels so good. Mmmmmm.”

Ali dove in, too turned on to be patient any longer. She shoved her tongue as far into the blonde’s center as she could and swirled it around, closing her eyes reflexively as another wave of lust swept over her and made her head spin. She moved her hands up to Ashlyn’s breasts and began rubbing and kneading them. The nipples hardened under her touch and made her moan loudly. Ali kept licking and sucking and nibbling between her keeper’s legs while she started rocking her hips against the mattress looking for some relief for her own aching clit. Ashlyn watched the brunette’s gorgeous ass moving up and down and thought Ali was just teasing her at first. Slowly she realized that her girl was so worked up that she was trying to take care of herself at the same time she was feasting on the sexy blonde.

“Fuck Al” Ashlyn called out, trying to get her attention. “Ali” she said again and tapped her on the shoulder.

The look on Ali’s face when she finally opened her eyes just about made the keeper come on the spot.

“Jesus Christ you’re incredible” Ashlyn said thickly as she got up on her elbows and swallowed hard. “Come up here and let me take care of you.”

“Nuh-uh” she shook her head no. “You first.”

“No” Ashlyn tried to explain but had to stop talking for a minute while the brunette sucked hard on her clit. “At the same time” she rolled her eyes in delicious pleasure as she felt Ali’s tongue start to flick across her sensitive bud. “Fuck” she exhaled. “Get up here” the keeper urged again, patting her chest with one hand and pulling Ali by her elbow with the other. “I can’t wait to taste you baby. Hurry up.”

It slowly dawned on the brunette that Ashlyn was talking about 69 and a smirk slowly spread across her face as she crawled up the keeper’s body. She dragged one of her breasts up through Ashlyn’s folds and over her sensitive clit making the blonde moan again. Ali took a minute and sucked on Ashlyn’s breasts, nipping and licking before gently biting each nipple. She brought their lips together in a slow, deep kiss and shuddered when Ashlyn finally got her hands between the brunette’s legs.

“No” she grunted and pulled their lips apart. “Wait” Ali said definitively and continued to drag her body up Ashlyn’s. 

She leaned up and arched her back, enjoying the feeling of the blonde’s taut stomach beneath her mound. Ashlyn was about to lose all control. She leaned up and put her mouth around one of Ali’s breasts, hoping her bossy brunette would allow the contact. She moaned and hummed when the taste of her own passion surprised her there.

“Fucking hell woman” she said, almost sternly. “Get. Up. Here. Now.”

Ali giggled devilishly and pressed one more hot kiss to her fiancée’s lips before getting on her hands and knees above Ashlyn. The brunette looked down at her keeper’s face and was almost overtaken by emotion. It swelled up past the erotic tension and excitement of the moment and hovered there between them for a few seconds. Ali tilted her head a bit and ran her thumb across the blonde’s jaw.

“I love you so much Ashlyn.”

The keeper grinned up at her and her dimple appeared. But then Ashlyn’s fingers found the brunette’s needy core and everything went hazy and hot again. Ali’s eyes darkened even more and she turned herself around so that her back was to the blonde. She backed herself up a little more and felt Ashlyn’s strong hands take hold of her hips and guide her the rest of the way. The brunette sighed as she felt her keeper’s tongue take the first stroke through her soaked folds.

“Fuck Ash. Mmmmm, yeah that feels nice.”

Ali bent over and put her own mouth back to work on Ashlyn’s clit. She rested her chest down on top of the blonde’s lower abdomen and smiled when she felt her twitch at the contact. They didn’t waste time. They devoured each other without a second’s hesitation, slurping and sucking with abandon. Timing their orgasms could be challenging when they did 69. They preferred to come at the same time, or just after each other when at all possible. But that took some communication. One of them would ask the other how close they were and they would work together to try to get to the same spot before adding their fingers to the fun. Once they got their hands involved it was usually just a matter of minutes before they climaxed.

“Oh my God, I’m close already” Ashlyn offered after a few minutes. “Are you close baby?” she asked around delicious wet pussy lips.

“Unnhh, yeah, so close...”

Ashlyn smacked her ass, loving the way it shook right in front of her face. Ali groaned and spread her legs out just a bit wider at the touch. The keeper wished they had switched positions so she could have been on top. Ali had gotten much better at being on top for 69 but the blonde knew that she had to really focus hard to keep her legs underneath her. Ashlyn would have preferred to do the extra work that night and let her brunette just relax and enjoy. She was jolted out of her head by Ali’s fingers entering her hot center.

“Fuck yeah baby” the blonde grunted out, trying to stay as quiet as she could.

Ali started thrusting two fingers fast and deep with her mouth still on Ashlyn’s clit. The keeper was rocking her hips, trying to catch the brunette’s rhythm. She could feel her orgasm starting far away and tried to keep it at bay until Ali was there too. Ashlyn pushed two of her long fingers into the brunette’s pulsing pussy. Her heart skipped a beat when she heard the guttural moan leave Ali’s mouth. The keeper started pumping as hard and fast as she could with her right hand while she held Ali’s hip in place firmly with her left hand.

“Jesus. Unnhhh...oh...fuck...” Ali grunted in response.

The brunette could feel her legs starting to slide wide again and she struggled to keep them underneath her. She could barely get her arms to keep working on Ashlyn she was so close to losing control. Ali pulled her mouth off of the keeper’s clit and replaced it with her left hand. She rubbed back and forth across the bundle of nerves, increasing the pressure and speed while still thrusting with her other hand. She was sweating and trying to remember not to shout out when it was time for her orgasm.

“Oh yeah baby. Fuck that feels good” Ashlyn breathed out as she started to increase her own thrusting.

She added a third finger to try and get more friction inside Ali’s slippery satin walls. When she felt Ali’s legs start to quiver she knew it was time to bring her other hand to the brunette’s clit and start rubbing there.

“Yessss!” Ali hissed out when she felt the incredible new sensations. “Holy...fuck...unnhhh...ohhh...”

“Quiet baby...come big...but quiet” the blonde warned, surprised she was able to speak at all. “Oh fuck!”

“Shhhh...” the brunette shushed her keeper as the blonde started to come.

Ali rubbed a little harder on the blonde’s clit when she felt her walls start to clamp down on her fingers. She could feel her own orgasm pushing her towards the edge and couldn’t wait for her release. That moment right there, when the muscles in her arms were aching and she could hear her keeper’s moans and pants and her legs were threatening to give out and she could smell Ashlyn’s passion all around her and her head got fuzzy with lust, there was nothing on earth like that moment.

“Oh fuck!” Ashlyn yelled out into the back of Ali’s thigh, burying her face there in an attempt to muffle her shout while she kept pumping into her sexy brunette. 

Her orgasm hit her hard and made it really difficult to keep thrusting and rubbing for her fiancée. Her legs quivered and her whole body trembled as she tried to maintain control. She bit down hard on Ali’s thigh, almost in frustration. The extra shock kicked the brunette over the edge and her body started shaking and convulsing as her orgasm overtook her. 

“Ashlyn...” she grunted in a clipped voice, trying desperately to be quiet as she came.

As soon as the blonde felt and heard Ali’s release she was able to completely relax into her own. The brunette dropped gracelessly down onto her keeper and their bodies shook and twitched together, stomachs sliding against each other on the slight sheen of sweat they had worked up. When they finally stilled, all they could hear was the sound of their own ragged breathing. Ali’s head was resting on the blonde’s left thigh as the rest of her body lay on top of her keeper like dead weight. Her knees had spread out wide on each side so that her ass and pussy were lying on top of Ashlyn’s chest, just below the enormous smile on her face. Each of her legs was spread out on either side of her keeper. Normally the brunette would have rolled right off, not wanting to stay in that position too long because she was still a little self-conscious being so open and exposed right in Ashlyn’s face like that. But that night she was spent and exhausted and let herself stay put for several minutes. The keeper noticed it and appreciated it.

“I love this” Ashlyn admitted quietly as their breathing slowly got back to normal. “I wish we could stay just like this for the rest of the night” she said as she lazily rubbed her hands up and down Ali’s thick thighs. She loved the scratchy feel of the brunette’s dark curls against her chest and the gentle rise and fall of Ali’s body as the keeper’s lungs rhythmically filled and emptied.

The brunette sighed contentedly and then tried to roll off but Ashlyn’s strong arms held her thighs in place.

“Ash” she pleaded softly, lifting her head up and looking over her shoulder.

“Just a few more minutes, please baby?”

It almost killed her but she stayed in that spread eagled position for what felt like an eternity before Ashlyn released her thighs. Ali rolled off of her and then curled herself up towards her, with her brunette head on Ashlyn’s stomach, facing her. Ali looked tired but had a satisfied smile on her face.

“Thank you Al” the keeper said quietly. “I know you feel on display like that, but I love it. A lot. So thank you.”

Ali blushed a little bit and reached for the blonde’s hand. 

“I don’t know why you like it.” Ali made a face.

“Just think about it like that’s my spot. You know, like you have your spot down there where you like to hang out for hours.” Ashlyn thought of all the time Ali spent with her head resting on the blonde’s thigh right after an orgasm, lazily stroking the short hairs on her mound as they recovered or talked. The keeper gave her girl a pointed look but then softened it with a warm smile and a squeeze of her hand. “I like it just the same way you like your spot.”

The brunette considered the information in this new light and shrugged her shoulders, face still a little pink from embarrassment.

“I guess it makes sense if you think about it like that” she finally admitted. “I love my spot and I would literally stay there for hours if you’d let me.” She pursed her lips and then chewed on her bottom lip as she thought some more. She knew that if their positions were reversed, and Ashlyn’s gorgeous pussy was lying on her chest instead, she would absolutely love it. Ali would have to think about why she felt self-conscious in that position. She was sure it had something to do with her asshole being on display and her general desire to keep that part of her body private. That was the only real difference in their ‘spots’. “I’ll try and be better about it honey.”

“Thank you” the blonde replied sweetly.

They were quiet for a few more minutes until Ashlyn sat up quickly, thinking she heard something in the hallway. They looked at each other and wordlessly put their pajamas back on and got back under the covers to go to sleep.

“I can’t believe we still don’t have a lock on that damned door” Ali complained.

“I’ll take care of it, I promise” Ashlyn replied and squeezed Ali tighter to her side. “A lock still wouldn’t have stopped Hannah...”

“Do not bring her up now” the brunette cut her fiancée off brusquely. “Seriously Ash?” Ali sighed, her frustration obvious.

“Sorry, wasn’t thinking” the blonde apologized glumly.

They were quiet for a few more minutes before Ashlyn couldn’t stand it anymore.

“I’m really sorry Al.” She waited another few minutes for the brunette to say something. When she didn’t, Ashlyn leaned down to see if she was asleep. When she saw whiskey colored eyes staring off in the distance her heart sank. “Are you mad?”

Ali sighed heavily and moved her head back to her own pillow so she could see Ashlyn’s face better. The blonde rolled over onto her side to face her girl and get as close as she could, only a few inches between their faces.

“No I’m not mad babe. Just frustrated.” She paused for a minute. “Is everything ok with Meg?”

“Yeah, she woke up and wanted me to come tuck her in.” The blonde’s face broke out into an involuntary smile that spread to Ali’s face too. “She’s never gone to bed here without me tucking her in.”

Ali reached up and brushed some blonde hair away from her favorite face. She cupped Ashlyn’s cheek and gave her a slow kiss.

“I guess that’s something we’re going to have to get used to, you know, once we have a baby” the brunette said evenly, eyes on Ashlyn’s chin, afraid to make eye contact.

“Oh you mean getting interrupted?” Ashlyn chuckled. “Yeah, you’re right. That’s going to suck.”

They both giggled and then snuggled closer together. It was quiet again for several minutes.

“Have you thought about that at all?” Ali anxiously broached the subject that had been clouding her mind for the last two months.

“What? How much it’s going to suck?” Ashlyn asked, confused. “Yeah, it’s going to suck a lot but it doesn’t change how I feel about having kids.”

The first pangs of panic hit the keeper in her chest as her mind raced. What if Ali changed her mind and didn’t want to have kids anymore? What if the Hannah and Meg situation was too much for her to want to deal with anymore? What if...

“Why? Do you not want to have kids anymore?” the blonde blurted out, too panicked to even try to find a more organic way around it.

“What?” Ali’s eyes went wide. “Ashlyn, of course I still want to have kids...”

“Because if you’ve changed your mind I’d understand. Well, not really, but I’d try really hard to see where you were coming from...” she took a breath. “And if you don’t want me to see Meg anymore...”

“Ashlyn, babe, slow down” Ali cut her off and put both hands on the blonde’s face to get her attention. “What are you talking about? I definitely want to have kids with you. And I love Meg and I’ve always been 100% behind you spending time with her. Where is this coming from?” 

“Well you brought it up” the keeper said defensively, realizing how crazy she might have sounded a few minutes before. “You asked about how much it’s going to suck having a baby.”

Ali closed her eyes and chuckled for a minute, which only irked the blonde. When she opened her eyes and kissed Ashlyn’s stiff lips Ali saw how upset the keeper was.

“Honey, I never said that. I think we’re both tired and you maybe heard me wrong. Or maybe I misspoke but that’s definitely not what I meant.”

“Well what did you mean then?”

Ali opened her mouth to answer but got shy and closed it again. The question was so important to her she was afraid to ask it. She dropped her eyes bashfully.

“I was trying to bring up the topic of having a baby...because I really want to have one soon and I was trying to see if that would freak you out or if you wanted to wait...”

“You want to have a baby soon?” Ashlyn asked, letting the other words fall away. “Like how soon?”

“Only if you want to too babe” Ali answered quickly, noticing the keeper’s wild eyes and trying to backtrack. “I’m not trying to rush you. I definitely didn’t mean to freak you out.”

“I’m not freaked out at all. I’d love to have a baby soon.”

“You don’t have to...wait, really?” Ali asked with a look of disbelief on her face.

“This may be the strangest conversation we’ve ever had” Ashlyn chuckled and rolled her eyes as she kissed Ali on the forehead. “Let’s start over.”

They both took a deep breath and smiled excitedly at each other. They held hands and gently moved their fingers over knuckles and across palms as they gazed into each other’s eyes.

“I’ve been thinking a lot about having a baby. Maybe sooner rather than later. What do you think about that?” Ali asked deliberately.

Ashlyn held her breath for a second, thrilled that her fiancée really was wanting the same thing that she herself had been too afraid to bring up with the brunette.

“I think that sounds amazing” the keeper replied evenly, trying to make sure none of her words could be misinterpreted.

“You do?”

“I really really do” Ashlyn answered emphatically. “As long as it’s not me being pregnant the first time” she paused. “I’ve only got a few more years to play and I don’t want to give those up if I don’t have to.” She looked down and then cautiously met Ali’s eyes. “I know how shitty that sounds and I’m sorry. But that’s how I honestly feel.”

Ali wrapped her arms around her keeper and pulled her in tight for a hug. They were still lying on their sides and the brunette placed a tender kiss on Ashlyn’s lips.

“And that’s exactly what I want to know – how you honestly feel” Ali replied and kissed her girl again. “I’m going to be 34 next year and I don’t want to wait much longer. I’m happy to have the first one. I’d love to actually.”

“I can’t believe we’re talking seriously about doing this” Ashlyn said, her eyes wide and her smile big. “Are you thinking about next year? That soon? What about your MBA?”

“I’d love to have a baby next year but I just think that’s too fast. I’m starting the MBA program in January, after we get back from the honeymoon and I should be able to finish it in one year. And without my sales job getting in the way, and with Jared’s help at Knight-Harris, I can make sure that happens.” She paused. “Remind me to quit my sales job later this year, ok?” she said, only half-joking.

“Will do” Ashlyn nodded and smiled broadly. “So we’ll have a baby in two years. In 2019?” she looked to her beautiful brunette for confirmation.

Ali grinned back at the blonde and giggled. 

“Yeah, that’s what I’m thinking” the brunette kissed her lips again. “We could even start trying before the end of next year, you know, in case it doesn’t work the first time. I’ve read that sometimes it takes a whole year just to get pregnant...”

“Shhhh, let’s not worry about that just yet sweetheart” Ashlyn soothed. “I’ve been reading about it too...”

“You have?!” Ali looked at her keeper, astonished.

“What? I read” Ashlyn replied indignantly. “Why are you so surprised by that?”

“It’s just...I’ve been trying not to talk to you about it because I didn’t want to freak you out. And here you’ve been reading about it too” she laughed quietly. “We could have been talking about it together all along.”

“Hey, listen” Ashlyn said seriously. “It’s 3:30am and it’s our wedding day. Let’s get some sleep ok? We can talk about this as much as we want, literally any other time than right now. Ok?”

“You’re right. God. I’m going to be a wreck tomorrow if I don’t get some sleep.” Ali kissed her again and then rolled onto her other side so Ashlyn could spoon her. “I love you Ashlyn. I’m madly in love with you and I can’t wait to be your wife and have a baby with you.”

“I love you too. So fucking much. And I can’t wait to marry you and have babies with you too.”

They snuggled up tight and drifted off to sleep, each of them thinking about their big day and their even bigger future together.


	22. Old, New, Borrowed, and Blue

The day of the wedding dawned with a spectacular sunrise at 6am. Ashlyn had originally planned to wake her fiancée up and go down to the beach to watch the sunrise on the big rock together. But that was before they had lost two hours of sleep having sex and talking about having their first child. She quickly turned off the alarm that went off at 5:45am and mumbled to Ali, curled into her side, to just go back to sleep. 

The next time they awoke was to a knock on the bedroom door just before 9am. They both sat up quickly and, in a mild panic, checked themselves to make sure they were clothed and decent. They grinned sheepishly at each other as another knock sounded. This time they realized it was at the door by Ashlyn’s side of the bed, the door to the back stairs.

“Time to wake up sleepy heads” they heard Gram’s voice through the still closed door.

“Come in Gram” Ashlyn said with a smile as Ali moved pillows up against the headboard and sat up, hoping her bedhead wasn’t too bad.

The door swung open and Gram came in with a huge smile on her face. Following her was Chris, carrying a tray with two plates full of pancakes, bacon and home fries, with two cups of coffee and some juice. Behind him came Meg, carefully balancing a plate with cut up fruit on it. There was a pink daylily under her arm and she was concentrating so hard on not spilling any of the fruit that she was almost cross-eyed. Ashlyn could hear Whitney’s voice encouraging the 5-1/2 year old from behind her.

“Wow” Ashlyn enthused. “What do we have here?”

“You girls are going to have a busy day and you’re going to need a good breakfast to get you started off right” Gram explained as Chris walked around to Ali’s side of the bed and placed the tray gently on her lap.

“Thank you Chris” Ali beamed up at him and patted his leg as he stood back up, pleased that nothing had spilled on the tray.

“Don’t forget the fruit!” Meg said excitedly as she finally made it to the side of the bed and Ashlyn’s outstretched hands.

“Oh we would never forget the fruit” the keeper replied with a wink to the cute redheaded girl. “Did you help make our breakfast Meggie?”

“Ah-huh” she said with a huge grin on her face.

“Don’t forget the flower” Whitney whispered like a stage mom from the top of the back stairs.

“Oh yeah!” Meg almost yelled. “I picked this for you!” she explained as she grabbed the stem of the daylily with her little hand and thrust it forward with another huge grin.

“Oh it’s beautiful Meg” Ali cooed, recognizing the day lily from the flowers planted along the side of the house. “Thank you so much sweetie.”

“Welcome” Meg replied and looked down shyly, loving the attention from the brunette and her part in the big morning production.

Just then there was a quick knock on the bedroom door to the second floor hallway and Kyle came in taking pictures with his camera and grinning from ear to ear. After several amusing candids he got a nice group shot of breakfast in bed on their wedding day. Meg squeezed in between the two brides to be, Chris on Ali’s side and Gram and Whitney on Ashlyn’s. It would turn out to be, despite both women bemoaning their fitness for public consumption, one of their all-time favorite pictures.

The two women had run through the schedule of events for their wedding day a hundred times over the past few months. They knew it inside and out and had been waiting as patiently as possible for it to finally be Friday, August 25th. Gram, Tammye, Deb, Sydney and Chris had all told them in separate, heartfelt conversations that the day would scream by at the speed of light. They had been warned to savor every moment they could and not worry too much if something seemed to slip by without enough fanfare or hoopla. It would all become a blur afterwards and they would only be able to recall a handful of moments with any true clarity. 

So when Meg begged to watch ‘Brave’ with them while they ate breakfast in bed they easily adjusted their schedule. The morning was their free time. All they really had to do was shower and get dressed and then complete their packing for their wedding night. They wanted to take a long walk with the puppies to tire them out a little bit for the day, but they knew there were enough people around to help them with the dogs. Kyle and Whitney had been the go-to puppy substitutes for them. Kyle was taking care of Luna anyway so it was an easy addition to make. Both Ali and Ashlyn were acutely aware of how much their wedding party was doing for them, and had been doing for them all week. They knew they would be forever grateful to their best friends and brothers.

It was 11:00am when Kyle yelled up the back stairs for his sister.

“I’ll be right down!” she called back.

“So this is it, Miss Krieger” Ashlyn grinned as she wrapped the brunette in a hug and lifted her off the ground. “Six more hours of being single, well, maybe seven depending on how long-winded Reverend Janet gets.”

They both giggled and Ali cupped the blonde’s face and gave her the sweetest, most tender kiss. 

“I can’t wait, Miss Harris” she whispered against Ashlyn’s soft lips.

Kyle knocked on the frame of the open door and smiled when he saw the happy couple in their sweet embrace. They grinned back at him as he picked up Ali’s suitcase and carefully carried her garment bag down the stairs.

“I know it’s silly, but I don’t want to let you go” Ashlyn admitted with a slight blush. “I feel like I did that very first night when I drove you home.” She looked into Ali’s cinnamon eyes and blinked at her. “Like I might die if I have to let you go, even for just a few hours.”

“Me too” Ali said softly, eyes down. “I was miserable that night. Ecstatic because you loved me, but miserable because we weren’t together” her voice hitched as she finished her sentence.

“Hey” Ashlyn lifted her chin with a finger.

Ali’s eyes were closed and she had a few tears slipping past her cheeks.

“What’s wrong baby?” the keeper asked, her voice full of worry.

“Nothing” Ali breathed out as they hugged again. “I’m just so happy.”

They spent two very different afternoons. Ali made the drive over to the Beauport Hotel with Kyle, Deb, her cousin Rachael and little Allie. They met Sydney and her mom Sandi there for a nice lunch. Then they checked into the suite and got Ali settled in and unpacked. As they were walking away from the front desk after checking in, Ali called Sydney over to her.

“Here boo” she said, pressing the hotel welcome envelope with the key cards to another room into her best friend’s hand. “I want you here tonight, with me, in case I need you.”

The truth was, it was killing Ali to see Sydney so uncomfortable all the time. And the brunette knew that Sydney was trying extra hard to do the matron of honor things that she wanted to do more than anything and it was wiping her out. The original plan was for Dom and Sydney to stay at the hotel by the beach that night but Ali had talked with Ashlyn and they had decided to get the Dwyers a room at the Beauport because it was so much closer to the castle. They both wanted Sydney and Dom to spend the whole weekend with them and they knew that wouldn’t happen if the incredibly pregnant woman couldn’t get comfortable.

“Alexandra” the coach breathed out as she hugged her best friend, understanding exactly what the brunette had done. “You are too good to me.”

After they were checked into both rooms and settled, the visitors happy to have a place to change clothes and get ready for the big event, it was time for their spa treatments. Manicures, pedicures, steam baths, massages, facials, whatever they could fit in to their two hour window of time. Then it was back to the suite at 3pm to start getting Ali ready for the biggest moment of her life. They had hired someone Kyle knew to come and do their make-up for them. She was really good and actually listened to what the women told her about their dresses and outfits so she could incorporate the information into some of her make-up selections. As soon as she was finished at the Beauport, Chris picked up the make-up professional and drove her to the big old house to work her magic there.

Then it was time for hair. Kyle was originally going to do everybody’s hair but as it became obvious that he would be picking up a lot of the slack from Sydney’s limitations he had called in a good friend to come up and help him. Of course he did Ali’s hair himself. They had been practicing that moment since they were nine and ten years old. Ali had always wanted her hair up for her wedding. Over the years it had changed a little bit from a tight bun to a loose bun to different versions of a chignon, some with a twist, some with a French twist...and Kyle had helpfully gone along with whatever the latest alteration had been. They sipped mimosas and nibbled on cheese plates and fruit as they talked and laughed and got ready in the suite.

Before they knew it, the time had come for them to take a few pictures, make some last minute adjustments and head to the castle just down the road. Whitney, Tammye and Gram had stopped by on their way to the castle to give their love to the brunette. And also to complete Ali’s old, new, borrowed, blue medley. Ali had been told in advance about this and what she would and wouldn’t have to worry about for her own preparation. For example, she knew she was getting a necklace and earrings. She just didn’t know who was giving her what or what it represented. The brunette had threatened bodily harm, at the hands of Sydney, to anyone who made her cry and ruin her make-up. They knew she was serious too.

“How is she?” Ali asked Whitney quietly as everyone got settled. “Is she doing ok?”

“She knew you’d ask and she told me to tease you and tell you that she was a nervous wreck and that her hair didn’t come out right” Whitney answered her just as quietly. “But I can’t lie to you like that. She’s fine. Excited, but good.” The defender smiled as Ali hugged her. The gratitude and relief in her brown eyes told Whitney she had made the right choice.

A few minutes later, after some more champagne had been poured, Tammye went first.

“This is from all of us on the Harris side,” she nodded at Gram. “Beth too.” She pulled out a silver chain with five different thimbles hung on it. They were different sizes and slightly different shapes. Some were a little tarnished and others shone brightly. “These were my mother’s” she explained, voice surprisingly strong. “The only thing I asked for after she passed away was her sewing box. Chris brought it home for me. But don’t worry, I’ll make sure it gets back to you and Ash before I’m gone” she chuckled lightly and stepped closer to the beautiful bride. “These were some of her thimbles. She used them all the time and she had a bunch of them over the years. They used to be all made of silver but when they got smarter they started making them out of steel and then just plating them in silver. The steel was stronger and lasted longer.”

“Oh Tammye” the brunette said quietly as she held the string of thimbles in her hands. She inspected each one, noting that some were engraved or decorated. One even had a scene of two small crosses with flowers around them. Ali gasped and looked up to the ceiling in an attempt to stop the tears that had formed in her eyes from falling down her cheeks. 

“That one was her favorite. My father had that made for her and now I understand it so much better. Those crosses are for Jack and Eddie, her boys.” 

Sydney moved to Ali’s side with some Kleenex and helped her carefully dab at her eyes.

“This is your something old, which represents your respect for the past. And I can’t think of anybody who understands that better than you Ali.” Tammye smiled warmly at her almost daughter-in-law. “We thought you could wrap it around your bouquet, but you can put it wherever you think it will work best honey.”

“You guys, I don’t even know what to say” Ali choked out. “They’re beautiful and I’ll treasure them always. Thank you so much.”

She kissed Tammye and Gram on their cheeks as the women came up to her. She handed the beautiful thimbles to Sydney for safe-keeping until they could tie it around her bouquet at the castle. Ali had been instructed to sit still or else. 

“I don’t know if I can do this” Ali mumbled as Gram and Tammye sat back down.

“Sure you can sis” Kyle grinned as he winked at Sydney and walked up to his sister. “Time for your something new and that’s from miss thing here” he nodded at the coach “and me. And it represents hope and optimism for the future.” 

He opened a jewelry box and pulled out a beautiful silver necklace with a pale purple amethyst pendant. It was the perfect color and matched their accent colors and the bridesmaids dresses. It wasn’t too big and it was modern enough that she could wear it again with other outfits. Sydney handed her a smaller box with matching drop earrings.

“There” he said after helping her with her new earrings and fastening the necklace behind her neck. “You look gorgeous. I love you” he whispered emotionally and kissed her gently on her cheek.

“I can’t...” Sydney said and rolled her tear-filled eyes. 

She held Ali’s hand and they both laughed, trying hard not to burst into tears.

“Alright girls, let’s hold it together now” Deb said sternly as she approached her daughter’s chair. “Some enforcer you are” she teased the coach. “No more crying baby girl. We’re going to have to get some ice for your puffy eyes.” 

The words sounded a little harsh but everyone, especially Ali, knew that Deb was only thinking of the bride as she said them. Ali would be so upset if her eyes in all the pictures and for the rest of the night were red and puffy from crying.

“Ok, so this is your borrowed and it’s my mother’s handmade lace handkerchief...”

“Oh mom” Ali welped and hugged her mother around her waist.

Deb’s voice hitched a little bit but she kept going. “This is for borrowed happiness and my mother carried it with her on her wedding day and I carried it with me on both of mine.” She paused and shot her son a wary glance. “And yes my first marriage was wonderful and full of happiness. Look at what wonderful things came out of it” she nodded at her two children. “So don’t judge this handkerchief for that marriage not lasting forever.”

“Thanks mom” the brunette whispered out, trying to keep her swirling emotions in check. “Can you help me tuck it inside...”

“Do you want to pin it inside the skirt of your dress?” Kyle suggested helpfully.

“No, no” Ali shook her head. “I want it right in here, close to my heart.” She patted her ribs, just below her left breast, because her strapless wedding gown didn’t have a lot of material up near her heart and she didn’t want the handkerchief to come floating up and out of her dress.

“There” Deb finally said after she and Sydney had unzipped the bodice of the dress and placed the borrowed heirloom where the brunette wanted it. “I’m so happy for you Alex. You look so beautiful.”

“I love you mom.”

Ali sat back in her chair for a minute, suddenly exhausted from all of the feelings she was experiencing. She thought she was prepared for her big day but she had no idea what she was in for.

“That leaves something blue” Whitney announced with almost playful joy in her voice. “The blue represents purity, love and fidelity and I am one hundred percent confident that you and Ash have nothing to worry about in that department.” 

Everybody laughed and Kyle couldn’t resist.

“Well you oughta know Whit, you’re the one who lives with them!” he joked.

Everyone laughed again and a slight blush crept up Ali’s cheeks as she gave her brother a withering look.

“Really Kyle?” she shook her head at him.

“That’s right” Whitney agreed with an easy smile. “And there couldn’t be a more perfect something blue than this beautiful ‘Carolina Blue’ garter.”

The defender pulled the delicate satin undergarment out of the little bag in her hand and twirled it around on her finger a couple of times.

“Did she put you up to this?” Ali asked quietly as the defender knelt down in front of her with a huge grin on her face.

“Maybe” she winked up at the brunette as everyone laughed behind them. “But there’s also another one in here that’s Penn State blue if you’d prefer that. She said the choice was all yours and that I wasn’t supposed to pressure you in any way.”

Ali grinned and looked around at all the smiling faces. She made her selection and hiked the skirt of her dress up so Whitney and Sydney could slide the garter up high onto her left thigh. Kyle let out a loud wolf-whistle as they finished and put the dress back into place.

“I honestly don’t know what to say and there isn’t enough time and I’m trying not to cry...” Ali paused and took a deep breath. “Just know that you all mean so much to me and these gifts are incredible and I’ll thank you better tomorrow, ok?”

After a few more touch ups and a couple of primps and sprays, they declared the beautiful brunette ready to go to the castle.

Ashlyn’s afternoon was spent a little differently. They packed their lunch and headed to the beach for their three hours. Chris, Gram, Tammye, Whitney, Hannah, Meg and Ashlyn met Mike there for an afternoon of swimming, sunbathing and boogie boarding. After they had all inhaled their food, Tammye, Gram and Hannah found themselves sitting together in the beach chairs watching everybody else’s shenanigans. Mike would never forgive the horrible redhead for what she had said in his mother’s house almost two years ago and nobody could really blame him. He and Hannah just avoided each other as much as possible. He had planned to give her a real piece of his mind during this weekend but Ashlyn, Gram, Tammye and Chris had all implored him to just let it be and not create any drama. 

“Are you sure about this Ash?” Mike had asked the very first afternoon they arrived.

“I’m sure pop” she had answered him down at the hotel when she was helping him get checked in. “I promise you, she has no hold over me anymore and I couldn’t care any less about her if I tried. She can’t hurt me.”

“But she did hurt you. And she insulted your Gram...”

“Pop, I know” the keeper sighed heavily and felt shy under her father’s steely gaze. “I’m sorry about that. I’ve talked to Gram about it and she’s ok with it for this weekend. She understands why Hannah’s here.” She took another breath. “I swear to God if Gram wasn’t ok with it I wouldn’t have had her bring Meg. But that’s the deal right now, until Meg gets bigger. If I want to see her I have to deal with Hannah too.”

“I still don’t like it.”

“I know. But Hannah’s actually been really good this whole year. I don’t know why and I don’t really care why. I’m just happy about it. So please don’t do anything to blow that all up, ok?”

“Gram’s really ok with her being here this weekend?” he asked skeptically.

“I promise, she is. I asked her about it months ago when I first found out Meg could be in the wedding.”

He looked at his beautiful daughter and considered what she had said while she stood anxiously in front of him.

“Well I guess that’s alright then. But she’s never stepping foot in her house ever again.” His voice was surprisingly stern. “Not ever. Is that understood?”

“Got it Pop.”

That afternoon at the beach it was entertaining for the blonde to see her father warm up to the little girl, despite his best efforts to resist her adorable cuteness. 

“Hey Meg, do you know who taught me how to surf and boogie board?” Ashlyn asked as soon as they got down to the water with their boards. 

“Nuh-uh” she shook her head, little red pig tails bouncing side to side as she did so. “Who?”

Ashlyn pointed to her father who was standing nearby, pretending not to listen as he looked out towards the horizon. Meg’s eyes went wide when she saw who Ashlyn had pointed to. 

“Grampa Mike?!” she said in astonishment.

“Yep” Ashlyn replied with a nod of her head. “He taught Uncle Chris too” she said and turned to watch Chris ride the first small wave in on Ashlyn’s boogie board.

“Wow” was all the little girl said as she looked at the quiet and mysterious man she knew so little about.

Slowly but surely over the course of their first hour that Friday afternoon, Mike opened up more and spent more time with the toddler. He helped her as much as Ashlyn did, but the keeper never went too far away. She knew her dad wouldn’t want to be the only one ‘in charge’ of little Meg. He wasn’t ready for that.

Gram sat in her beach chair for a little while but then ambled down to the water and went for a swim. She knew that all the boogie boarding would wipe little Meg out if they weren’t careful. She sat on her butt in the water and, sure enough, after about ten minutes the little girl walked over and joined her. Gram told her stories about Grampa Mike and Ashlyn and Chris as they played in the sand and the water, and Meg ate them all up, asking question after question of the kind old woman.

Eventually it was time to go back to the big old house and get ready for the wedding. When they arrived they found Dom Dwyer and Ken Krieger playing with the dogs and puppies in the backyard, and talking about sports medicine and new training techniques for soccer specific activities. Dom had dropped Sydney off at the Beauport and Boss off there at the house. Ken had just stopped by to see how everything was going. He was headed back to Ipswich to get ready for the ceremony soon.

They all gathered in the front parlor before separating to start getting ready. Ken joined them, making his surprise visit a little less surprising. And Kyle jogged in, slightly out of breath after stepping out of his duties at the Beauport. It was time for Ashlyn’s something old, new, borrowed and blue experience. The keeper sat on the love seat, surrounded by so many people who were dear to her.

“This is your old, Ashlyn, and I know you appreciate the old things in life” Ken chuckled as he looked around him at the room they were sitting in. It was the oldest in the house. It was the room that Ashlyn felt closest to Grandma Lilian in and everybody knew it. He handed her an antique silver flask that had ‘Harris & Co.’ engraved into one side of it in large script letters. “This is from all of us Kriegers. I hope you will learn from the past, both the mistakes that were made and the successes that were had.” Ken leaned down and kissed the blonde on her cheek.

“Wow, this is awesome” Ashlyn enthused as she inspected the flask. “Did you have the engraving done or did you find it like this?”

“I found it, just like that. I wasn’t going to get you a flask, it’s just not always a great gift” he said a little awkwardly but the keeper smiled up at him knowingly. “And then I saw that it had your name already on it and I figured it must have been a sign or something.” He laughed nervously, feeling foolish for admitting that he might believe in serendipity or something like it.

“I love it. Thank you so much Ken.” Ashlyn stood up and hugged him. 

“Ok, my turn” Chris said shyly, suddenly self-conscious in the room full of people. He cleared his throat and sat next to Ashlyn, handing her a small jewelry box. “This is your new, from me and Whit, and we all know that means hope and optimism for the future.”

Ashlyn opened the box to reveal a beautiful pair of amethyst stud earrings, pale purple to match the wedding color. She smiled brightly, knowing her brunette must have chosen them to match something she had going on with her dress or jewelry.

“These are beautiful. Did Ali pick these out?” she asked as she held one up to the light from the nearby window.

“Nope, we all did, well, not all of us, me and Whit and Syd and Kyle too. We had to coordinate things so we tag-teamed it” he tried to explain. 

“These match the jewelry she’ll be getting a little bit later this afternoon” Whitney clarified, helpfully.

“Right, what she said” Chris laughed nervously. “Don’t worry, I won’t lose the ring, I promise.”

“Well Jesus, I wasn’t worried until now Bubba. Are you feeling alright?” Ashlyn asked, only halfway teasing.

The room laughed at the siblings as they needled each other.

“This is your borrowed, Bashy, and the idea is that you borrow some happiness from someone who’s got extra when you need it” Gram explained as she carefully spread out a delicate off-white handkerchief with lace around the edges. She had stitched both Ashlyn and Ali’s initials into it with their wedding date, in pretty blue silk thread. “This silk lace here around the edges is from the veil I wore on my wedding day back in 1951. We packed a whole lot of happiness into those years and, well, I’d be glad to share with you anytime.” Her voice cracked just a little as she got to the end of her words. After a minute she continued. “Your grandfather would be so proud of you honey” she said as she leaned forward and kissed the keeper’s cheek. “I love you.”

“I love you too Gram.” She stood and wrapped the old woman in a huge hug. “Thank you so much for this. It’s just beautiful. I’ll keep it in my pocket the whole time” she replied, beaming at her grandmother. When they pulled apart they were both teary-eyed.

“I guess that means I’m up” Kyle said softly as he crossed the room and sat next to the woman his sister loved more than anything in the world. “First of all I have to tell you that I am just the messenger. This is from Ali and I’m going to say what she told me to say.”

“No ad-libbing?” Whitney challenged with a quirked eyebrow.

“None. I swear” Kyle raised his hand as if pledging an oath to somebody. “This is your something blue” he began carefully and placed a smooth blue stone in the palm of Ashlyn’s hand. It was actually four different shades of blue and Ali had never been able to understand how the ocean had done that to the rock that smooth stone had once been. “Blue represents purity, love and fidelity. This stone is from Satellite Beach, your hometown, the place you learned to be the wonderful woman that you are today. Ali found it on the beach during her first visit, the day you gave her the tour of your little town. She’s kept it ever since because it reminds her of you and of the sea and of that special visit where you were brave enough to share your stories with each other. Now she wants you to have it as a token of her love for you and a small piece of Satellite Beach for you on your special day.”

Everyone was quiet for a minute as tears fell silently down the keeper’s face. She turned the blue stone over in her hand and ran her thumb across it lovingly. She looked up and grinned at her loved ones in the room.

“Who else do you know that would cry her face off over a rock?” she joked at her own expense, making everyone laugh.

Kyle hugged her and then added Ali’s last line. “She said to tell you that if you lose it you’re dead.” 

“That’s my girl” Ken laughed as did everybody else before they scattered to start getting ready. 

Tammye and Gram and Whitney all got ready quickly, knowing they would be stopping by the Beauport for a quick meeting with Ali before she headed to the castle. The hair and make-up team that Kyle had arranged for them took good care of all of their needs and had them looking gorgeous in no time. Gram insisted on doing her own hair, no matter how hard the stylist tried to convince her otherwise. Ashlyn finally had to tell the guy to just give it up because he wasn’t going to win that battle. Kyle did Ashlyn’s hair himself, wanting to make sure it was just the way she imagined. 

“You’re gonna look like a million bucks Ash” he said sincerely after checking out her suit and accessories hanging on the back of the bathroom door. “I wish I could stay and see the finished product. I guess I’ll just have to squeal about it at the ceremony like your other queen.”

“Yeah you will” Ashlyn teased. “So how’s she doing? Is she ok? Did she eat something? She forgets to eat sometimes when she’s busy and I want to make sure...”

“She’s good, I promise.” Kyle’s heart tugged when he heard the concern in the keeper’s voice. “Syd and I are taking good care of her, you have my word.”


	23. Here Come the Brides

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's the wedding and reception chapter and it's a little longer than usual. Sorry. But not really.  
> Let me know what you think, please.  
> It's a snow day for me and I'm wondering if I should celebrate and post the next chapter too? You know, the wedding night one.  
> Hmmm.....

A late afternoon thunderstorm rolled through Gloucester and Ali’s heart sank as she thought about having to move the outdoor ceremony inside. The castle was gorgeous, but it was a big old stone castle and, while she wanted to be able to spend time in it and have it as the dramatic backdrop to her big day, she really didn’t want to spend her entire wedding and reception trapped inside the stuffy ancient walls. She chuckled to herself as she imagined Ashlyn probably excited about the proposition. She would pretend the castle was under siege and they all had to take cover within its’ fortified walls while she went and slayed a ferocious dragon. Ali loved how her keeper could find a silver lining to almost anything life threw at her.

By the time she and Sydney had squeezed themselves into the passenger van for the short ride to the castle the skies had cleared up. Kyle hopped in a few minutes later with his phone to his ear and a grin on his face.

“Good news sissy, the thunderstorm is gone and there aren’t any more coming so they can still do everything as planned.”

“What?” Ali asked, dazed by the news. “Are you kidding me Kyle?”

Sydney shot him a stare that said ‘do not fuck with her right now you asshole’.

“I swear to God. That was Chris. They were there getting things set up when the storm came through and all the chairs are wet but that’s it. We’ll just have a lot of drying off to do when we get there.”

“That’s ok, I can handle drying off” Ali smiled.

“Yeah, not you boo. You’re not lifting a finger to do anything” Sydney clarified. “I know it goes against every fiber of your being to just sit there and let people do things for you, but that’s what today’s all about. Especially now that you’re in this gorgeous fucking dress.”

“Language, please” Deb said eyeing the curb where little Allie and her mom, Rachael, were about to step into the passenger van with them.

“You know, rain on your wedding day is supposed to be good luck” Dom chimed in from the way back where he was sitting with Deb and Sandi, his mother-in-law. “I used to think that was just an English thing to say because it rains all the bloody time over there” he chuckled.

“No, I read about it too” Kyle agreed. “It’s good luck in, like, a dozen different cultures. It means different things, but all mainly along the lines of cleansing and purifying and renewal.”

“That sounds good” Ali smiled at her brother. “Thanks Dom, I can get on board with that. In England or Gloucester.”

“Did everybody get checked in ok this afternoon Rachael?” Deb asked about the Scott Kriegers once the new additions were seated.

“Yep. Smooth sailing. Well, except mom doesn’t love the hotel, but when does she ever?” Rachael giggled and rolled her eyes at her impossible to please mother.

Ali sat, waiting for the van to pull away from the hotel, and thought about how lucky she was to have the four people in her wedding party handling everything for her that day. She really hadn’t worried about anything, except the thunderstorm and Ashlyn’s well-being. But those were to be expected. If she could only have seen Ken, Vicki, Tanner, Koty, Chris, Whitney, both Mikes, Niki and Molly moving quickly through the 100 chairs that had been set up outside for the ceremony, each of them drying off as many chairs as possible. Anybody that showed up early had offered to help without even being asked. This was the type of karma you encountered when two genuinely good human beings joined their lives together.

The castle was incredible. It was a truly stunning setting for whatever the special event was you were having on the property. It was built by the inventor, John Hays Hammond, Jr as a wedding gift for his wife, Irene Fenton Hammond, to prove how much he loved her. It had taken three years to construct the medieval-style castle, from 1926 to 1929. In addition to being the primary residence for Hammond and his family, the castle also served as his research laboratory for his inventions. Hammond was one of the most prolific inventors of his time, second only to Thomas Edison. One of Hammond’s most famous inventions was the remote control. Hammond was also a collector of art and artifacts. He focused primarily on Roman, medieval and Renaissance items and the castle was full of ancient weapons, suits of armor, and a huge pipe organ in the Great Hall that was fully functional up until 2015. 

The castle stretched out along the south-eastern coast of Gloucester, just outside the mouth of Gloucester Harbor. If you were to look at it from the ocean, which was technically the back of the castle, it was wide and shallow and the lawn that separated the castle walls from the cliff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean was oriented like two football fields end to end, left to right. That lawn was where most of the early activity was going to be for the Krieger-Harris wedding. The right end of the lawn, still looking at it from the ocean view, was where the ceremony would take place. The left end of the lawn was where the guests would enjoy a cocktail hour while the photographs of the wedding party and families were taken in different spots around the castle. The front of the castle was obviously where the main entrance was, complete with a drawbridge into the keep with two stone lions guarding it. The keep was the tallest tower and it was big and square and housed the Great Hall inside. The Great Hall was where they would have the reception and dinner and party. There were decorative gardens tucked into stone archways and walkways all along the front of the castle. There were stone benches where you could sit and enjoy the garden or the view of the ocean through the open stone arches in certain places.

The thunderstorm had cut through some of the humidity of the day. It had been an 85 degree, hot and humid New England day before the rain. The temperature just before the wedding was in the upper 70’s, but the air was drier there by the ocean, or maybe the constant breeze coming off the water just made it feel that way. Ali’s group was waiting inside one of the two prep rooms, an old bedroom from the original castle floorplan. And Ashlyn’s group was in the other, just waiting for the wedding planner from the castle, Linda, to tell them it was time for the wedding procession. The photographer they had hired had been all over the place all afternoon, from the big old house to the Beauport Hotel, and was back at it now that things had progressed to the castle. Kyle had offered to do the photographs but Ali wanted him to enjoy the wedding and not feel like he had to do anything extra. Well, aside from being her best man and helping Sydney be the matron of honor. Kyle had confessed that he was relieved to not have to worry about photographs too.

Finally Linda announced that everyone had been seated and they were ready to start the procession. Ali, Sydney and Kyle gave little Allie some last minute instructions and a little pep talk. Ashlyn, Whitney and Chris did the same with sweet Meg. Both girls were a little freaked out without their moms with them in the big strange castle full of all kinds of nervous energy and strange sounds. Chris and Sydney went first, the coach glad to have the big man’s support as she negotiated the steps out of the castle and down to the lawn without even being able to see her feet. They walked slowly and were a surprisingly elegant couple as they made their way down the aisle towards the front of the ceremony area. 

There was a wooden arch up on a small platform with beautiful flowers all above and around it. The wedding party would stand just below the platform once they were all in place. Chris walked Sydney all the way over to her spot on the left side of the altar area and then took his place over on the right side. Kyle and Whitney were next, duplicating the steps and actions of the previous pair. Kyle took his place next to Sydney and Whitney took hers next to Chris.

Next came the diciest part of the whole evening. The flower girls. Everybody in the wedding party held their breath as little Allie came down the steps, helped and encouraged by Ken. She stopped at the bottom of the steps and stood there with a blank look on her face. Ken walked her over to the beginning of the aisle and pointed down to Kyle who had moved to the other end and was waving like a fool to try and get her to walk down to him. She took a few tentative steps and then stopped again. By now, Mike Harris had helped Meg down the steps and was walking her to the beginning of the aisle. Meg had a huge grin on her face and seemed to light up when she heard everybody ooh and ahh. Ken and Mike laughed together for a minute and then retreated back to the castle to get ready for their real duties. Meg saw Chris and Whitney waving at her and she started to walk down the aisle taking fistfuls of flower petals and dropping them in front of her as she went. She caught up to little Allie and paused for a minute. Little Allie looked at her and Meg said “Come on!” and gave her a little half-hug that had everybody smiling and awwwing. But that friendly little moment was all Allie needed. Meg took the lead and kept dropping her flower petals as she walked towards the front. She saw Hannah halfway down and called out to her. “Hi Mama!” Hannah waved back proudly and earned many compliments from the people sitting around her. Little Allie followed Meg’s lead and in a few minutes both little girls were standing in their spots with proud grins on their faces.

They looked beautiful, all of them. Sydney and Whitney’s dresses were perfectly pale lilac with matching shoes. Their hair was up in different types of buns, Whitney with some lovely blonde tendrils falling around her face. Their flower bouquets were simple, tasteful and beautiful, made of different shades of purple and white. The flower girls’ dresses were embellished versions of Whitney’s dress, and they wore white shoes and carried white baskets. They had white ribbons and barrettes in their hair. The guys looked handsome in their basic black suits with white shirts and different purple ties. Chris’ tie was a classic purple and black diagonal stripe whereas Kyle’s was more purple with medium sized black polka dots on it. They each wore a purple rose on their lapel. 

The processional music changed to the ‘Here Comes the Bride’ music and everyone followed the instructions in their programs and stayed seated. Traditionally the guests stood to honor and welcome the bride, but Ali and Ashlyn wanted everybody to stay seated because they were both going to be walking down the aisle. There was a small murmur as Ashlyn made her appearance, flanked by both of her parents. They walked proudly down the aisle, taking their time despite their racing heartbeats and nerves. Tammye kissed her daughter’s cheek and then Mike followed suit on his side before escorting his ex-wife to their seats next to Gram in the front row on the right side. Ashlyn started to climb the two steps to take her place on the platform but Meg waved to her so adorably that she just had to go and give her a quick hug. She turned to the other side and waved to little Allie too, earning her a bright smile from the other flower girl as well.

Ashlyn stood on the platform in her elegant black tuxedo and grinned as she watched the castle entrance for her love. The keeper’s tux fit her perfectly and her make-up was subtle but stunning. Her cheekbones looked incredible and her eyes were dynamic and dark. Her muted red lipstick completed the picture and she was happy to give Ali her way and wear the same shade as the brunette. Ashlyn wore a purple bow tie with purple suspenders tucked away under her tuxedo jacket and a purple cummerbund. The purple pocket square shared space in her jacket with Gram’s lace edged handkerchief sitting safely below it. Her amethyst earrings looked perfect with her hair up in a tight bun. The silver flask was in her jacket pocket, not her breast pocket because, she realized when she tried it at the big old house, her actual breast needed to be there instead. She patted the smooth stone in her pants pocket as she stood there trying to be patient but really she was about to explode with excitement. She carried a single deep purple rose in her hand.

It took everything she had not to squeal when she saw her beautiful brunette appear at the top of the castle steps. They had avoided each other inside the prep rooms, opting to wait until the ceremony to get a look at each other for the first time. Technically, Ashlyn was cheating because she knew Ali wouldn’t be able to look up for several minutes as she concentrated on walking in her gown down steps and across lawn to the beginning of the aisle. But the keeper couldn’t help it. She swore her heart stopped when she saw Ali coming down those stone steps. She really did look like a beautiful princess coming out of her castle.

Ali’s dress was a strapless, A-line, floor length gown with a fitted bodice, natural waist, full skirt and a sweep length train. It was white lace and taffeta with a straight neckline, showing off Ali’s exposed collarbone and bare shoulders. The bodice was decorated with a splash of off-white pearls and beads that extended, in a few places, down into the top of the skirt, just to break up all of the white. The back of the dress started halfway down her back, leaving the whole top half exposed. The skirt was structured but not too wide or poofy. The dress was just what Ali had wanted - classic and elegant but not too fancy or frou-frouy. The amethyst earrings and necklace complemented both the neckline of the dress and her chignon with a twist updo perfectly. Her make-up made her beautiful, whiskey colored eyes pop and her lips looked lush and somehow still natural even with the muted red lipstick on them. She looked radiant and when she flashed that incredible smile of hers at the bottom of the steps, relieved to be past the first obstacle on her way to the altar, Ashlyn thought she might actually faint. 

Ali’s bouquet was bigger and more involved than Sydney and Whitney’s were and she could hear the slight tinkle of Grandma Lilian’s thimbles bumping into each other, wrapped around the stem of the bouquet, as she walked across the lawn with her parents. She felt the weight of the amethyst necklace against her chest and thought about the garter from Ashlyn that she wore on her thigh and a small smile came to her face. She pressed her left hand against her ribs, feeling her own grandmother’s handkerchief against her skin there and taking comfort from it. Ali took a deep breath and tried to focus on something, anything. Everything was literally a blur and she wondered for a brief second if she had forgotten to put her contacts in. Deb squeezed her arm, somehow sensing the nerves over-firing in her daughter at that moment. The brunette just caught sight of the top half of Ashlyn, above the guests in their seats, and she immediately felt better. And just like that she found herself at the beginning of the aisle, pausing for a moment to tell her father that yes, she was ready to go.

When she looked up and took her first step down the aisle she sucked in a breath. The first thing she saw, of course, was her love, her keeper, her beloved Ashlyn. Ali had expected her to look beautiful and dashing all at the same time, but to actually see her standing there in that tux with those cheekbones and the earrings and those eyes...her tawny hazel eyes looked like a completely different color. It was as if the blonde had saved this particular hue for the most special day of their lives. The brunette couldn’t wait to get closer so she could get a better look. About halfway down the aisle Ali started to see the rest of her wedding in front of her. The six other faces standing down at the front were all beaming back at her. Sydney was crying already and Ali was tempted to yell to Kyle to give her another Kleenex but she bit her tongue. Chris had tears in his eyes too but he was managing to keep them from falling. And then, in the blink of an eye, they were at the end of the aisle and her parents moved in front of her and both lifted her veil up and back at the same time. Deb kissed her first and then Ken did the same. They took their seats in the front row on the left side, next to their current spouses. Ashlyn came down to meet her beautiful bride and helped her up the last couple of steps to the platform and Reverend Janet.

“You’re stunning” Ashlyn said softly as she squeezed Ali’s hand that was wrapped around her bicep for support.

“You too” Ali breathed out when they got to the top of the platform. 

As the guests looked up at the happy couple, they were framed by the flowered archway. Behind them was the breathtaking view of the Atlantic Ocean and the Eastern Point lighthouse at the mouth of Gloucester Harbor.  
Reverend Janet welcomed everybody and read a couple of passages from the bible that Ali and Ashlyn had selected. Ashlyn’s friend Liz had made the trip and read a poem that the couple had chosen. And Niki read another one. Then it was time for the vows. Ali went first. Her voice was strong with occasional breaks and quivers in it. But she wanted to make sure everybody could hear how much she loved this woman standing in front of her.

“Ashlyn, there will never be enough words to tell you what you mean to me or who you are for me. I tried and tried to find a few that might work but I couldn’t do it. The first time I saw you I felt something flutter in my stomach. That flutter got stronger every time I saw you after that and it still gets stronger to this very day. It wasn’t an easy road for us to be together. We both had things to deal with in our lives and changes to make and work to do on ourselves. We became friends and I had to learn how to keep the flutter in my stomach locked down and under wraps. It was hard but I did it and we grew to be good friends. And, honestly, I think that was the best thing that could have happened for us. We got close and learned about each other and cared about each other and helped one another as friends first. And then, finally, after almost a year, that flutter in my stomach had had enough. It wouldn’t be held down any longer. It drove me to have the single most terrifying conversation of my entire life, with you. And thank God it did because look at us now. I set my flutter free and it rewarded me with you. And now, another year later, that flutter keeps growing stronger every day. At the rate we’re going, it will soon be so strong that I’ll actually be able to fly. But that’s nothing new because you already make me feel like I can fly. My promise to you today, in front of all of our family and friends, is nothing new either. But I’ll make it again and say it as often as you want to hear it. I promise to love you no matter what and for always. I promise to help you when you need it and to ask for your help when I need it. I promise to honor and respect you and to listen to your words and try and hear your hopes and dreams in them. And these promises are not only for the good times, when it’s easy to say them, like today. They’re also for the dark times and the hard times that I know we’ll go through too. I love you Ashlyn. And I promise to keep these promises until my dying day.”

“Alexandra, Ali, my love, you know better than anyone that words are not my strong suit. I’m always saying the wrong thing and getting myself into trouble with words. I’d rather paint you a picture instead, of our house and our future. There are puppies in the picture and a garden, if I ever get around to it. There’s even a dining room table. And there are ups and downs, wins and losses, maybe even a Breakers championship someday, hopefully. I’ll teach you how to surf and you’ll teach me how to skate. I’ll bring you flowers and read poetry to you before we fall asleep. There will be babies and more family and friends to share it all with. One day we’ll be at a wedding like this for one of our children and we’ll think back to this very day and remember how happy we were. Hopefully, we’ll be even happier on that future day. I know we will. And that picture and that house and our lives will be filled with love and happiness and joy as long as I have anything to say about it. I will lift you up and hold you tight. I will walk beside you, with you, ready to pick you up if you stumble. I will never hold you back. I love you Ali Krieger, and I will love you with everything that I’ve got for as long as I live.”

They took a minute to compose themselves, holding hands and grinning at each other, which was good because everybody else needed to dry their eyes too. They exchanged wedding rings, placing the smooth, white gold bands on each other’s ring fingers with trembling hands. Reverend Janet said a prayer and then blessed the couple. As they stood gazing at each other trying to breathe, Ashlyn stepped closer to her brunette and put the deep purple rose she was holding into Ali’s bouquet. The florist had shown the keeper the exact spot she had left in the tight bundle of beautiful flowers, just for that moment. Ali sucked in a quick breath, surprised by the touching and symbolic gesture that the blonde had arranged for her. Instead of lighting separate candles and then, after the ceremony, lighting a bigger unity candle, Ashlyn had thought up the solitary flower idea. It was too windy out there near the ocean for the candles anyway, so the couple had agreed to skip that tradition when they were making their wedding plans. They both liked the meaning behind it, two different families joining together and becoming one, but it just wasn’t practical for their day.

“Together, as one” Ashlyn said, her voice high but strong and true as she secured the rose in Ali’s bouquet. 

Ali reflexively brought her hand to her chest and tilted her head to the side as she looked adoringly at her keeper. Reverend Janet made a few more comments specifically about the two loving women standing in front of everyone. Then she pronounced them wife and wife and invited them to share a kiss. Ashlyn and Ali were both giddy and excited as they stood there holding hands in front of their family and friends. The keeper turned first and winked at her blushing bride. Ali laughed lightly and then met the blonde’s lips with a kiss. Ashlyn held her in her arms and deepened the kiss as the guests all cheered and clapped. The brunette squeezed Ashlyn’s shoulder when she thought it was time to stop and that was easily the most difficult thing she had done all day. The last thing in the world she wanted was for her keeper to stop kissing her. They both took their fingers and quickly cleaned up lipstick smudges on the other’s lips before turning back to face their audience.

“Ladies and gentlemen, it is my distinct honor to present to you Mrs. and Mrs. Krieger!” the Reverend announced to more raucous applause.

They kissed once more, lightly, and then climbed down the steps and headed up the aisle, arm in arm, on their way back into the castle. The rest of the wedding party followed them in short order. The Reverend gave instructions to the guests, inviting them to gather at the other end of the lawn for a cocktail hour while the wedding photographer ran the wedding party through their poses. There were several tables and chairs set up so guests could sit, if they wanted, and enjoy the champagne and appetizers that were being passed by the waitstaff. It was a casual and fun atmosphere with terrific views of the ocean as the evening sky was getting ready to start changing colors. 

Just inside the castle, after their eyes adjusted to the darker light level, the newlyweds embraced for several long minutes. Neither of them said anything. They tuned out the boisterous energy of the staff setting up the nearby Great Hall for the reception and dinner. They ignored the laughter of their closest friends and family as they gathered for pictures. They held each other close, with their eyes closed, chins over shoulders and arms wound tight. All they focused on was their heartbeats, pounding in their chests and throbbing in their ears. It had been a tortuous six hours since they had last held each other and that’s all they wanted for a few moments. Just to hold the woman they loved close and breathe her in. Ashlyn was warm, wearing too many clothes for a balmy 75 degree evening, but she didn’t care. She wasn’t letting go of her new wife for anything. Ali was hot too, her shoulders and back were bare but the rest of her was cooking in the fancy wedding gown. She really didn’t want to sweat all over it but she wasn’t willing to let go of her keeper yet either. Finally, when it was obvious that Whitney and Kyle were actively keeping the photographer and Linda, away from them, they slowly started to separate. 

“I love you Mrs. Krieger” Ali whispered next to Ashlyn’s ear, lips brushing the outer edge and sending goosebumps down the keeper’s back.

“I love you too Mrs. Krieger” Ashlyn answered with a sweet smile as they pulled their heads back, still hugging.

“I missed you” the brunette said softly and batted her eyelashes. 

“Well you can’t get rid of me now” the keeper teased. “We’re married.”

Ali leaned in and kissed her wife’s lips soundly, not caring who was watching. Ashlyn looked a little shell shocked when the kiss was over. The brunette took her thumb and fixed the lipstick smudge on her keeper’s face, feeling her stare the whole time. They separated and turned their bodies to their wedding party but kept their heads facing each other for another few seconds. Ashlyn clasped their hands together and grinned.

“Don’t let go” Ali asked, more of a shy request than a command.

Once Ashlyn smiled back at her and nodded they both turned to face the rest of the evening’s events. Together.

The Great Hall was a large, rectangular room with an insanely high ceiling and enormous tapestries covering the walls. The DJ was set up in the middle of one of the two longer sides with the wedding party table set up across from it in the middle of the other longer side. The dance floor was between them. There were nine other tables, with ten place settings each, set up around the perimeter of the room, defining the boundaries of the dance floor. 

There was a bar at each end of the room, open bar thanks to the generosity of Robert Kraft, owner of the NE Patriots and NE Revolution. It had only taken a few weeks after the Breakers’ home opener for his assistant to call Ali and ask her to come to his house to help with his window screens. Bob Kraft had been there so he could learn the tricks himself and he and Ali had ended up chatting about a bunch of non-window and non-soccer related things. One of those topics was Ali’s upcoming nuptials. Bob had actually visited the Hammond Castle and remembered it well. They joked about him watching for his wedding invitation, but when it came time to send them out, it seemed silly not to at least invite him. He probably wouldn’t come but what could it hurt to ask him? In the end, he couldn’t make the wedding but he had contacted Linda at the castle and made arrangements to pay for the open bar. Both Ali and Ashlyn were stunned.

After the cocktail hour the guests went through the receiving line on their way back into the castle to find their table in the Great Room and get settled for dinner. The DJ took over the show from that point on and did the official introduction of the wedding party and the brides’ parents and then, of course, the happy couple themselves. The guests erupted when Mrs. and Mrs. Krieger were announced and took center stage on the dance floor for their first dance.

“For the record” Ashlyn began, talking into the microphone as she held Ali’s hand. “Ali loved this song waaaaay before it became popular again.” 

The blonde smiled adoringly at her new wife who was blushing slightly in the spotlight. Ashlyn then went on to tell everybody the funny story of how the song saved their first date from a disastrously awkward beginning and how the keeper had been so in her head about the discomfort of those four or five minutes that she didn’t even know what the song was until Ali told her after it had ended.

“And when I went back and listened to it again I was struck by how absolutely perfect it was for us. I’ve spent a lot of time trying to find a song that describes how this feels” her voice cracked a little bit as she motioned towards the beautiful brunette by her side. “I don’t think there’s ever been a song that says it better than this.” She cleared her throat away from the microphone and took a second to regain her composure. “Long story short, I owe everything to Miss Etta James” she explained as she returned the microphone to the DJ and took Ali in her arms for their first dance.

At Last  
Written by Harry Warren / Mack Gordon

At Last  
My love has come along  
My lonely days are over  
And life is like a song

Oh yeah yeah  
At Last

The skies above are blue  
My heart was wrapped up in clover  
The night I looked at you

I found a dream that I could speak to  
A dream that I can call my own  
I found a thrill to press my cheek to  
A thrill that I have never known

Oh yeah yeah  
You smiled, you smiled  
Oh and then the spell was cast  
And here we are in heaven  
For you are mine...

At Last

Ali had wanted to choreograph their first dance but the keeper wouldn’t let her. She wanted to keep some spontaneity in the moment. They had compromised and agreed on a couple of spins and a nice dip at the end. Ali argued that knowing when those bigger moments were coming would make them easier for her to manage in her dress. Ashlyn knew she was just making excuses and that her real concern was embarrassing herself under everyone’s watchful gaze. The dance was lovely and there were audible gasps and awwws when Ashlyn dipped her beautiful bride to close out the song and brought their lips together in a soft, romantic kiss.

The DJ invited Ken and Mike Harris to the dance floor for the first half of the parents’ dance. Mike was a nervous wreck as he danced with his daughter. Ken looked like he had been doing it all his life. Really, he was just much better at hiding his nerves and emotions. Halfway through the song Deb and Tammye got up and cut-in to dance with their baby girls. It was unorthodox, but how were they going to marry each other and then only dance with their fathers? It was one of the first traditions that they had tweaked back in Deb’s kitchen on New Year’s Day. 

Next came the wedding party dance and as hard as Kyle had tried to convince everybody to do a choreographed line dance of some kind, he knew he had been fighting a losing battle. Whitney was too shy to be on board with it. She would have gone along if she was the only hold-out though. Chris wasn’t shy but he didn’t love to dance. Sydney would have been Kyle’s ally and made it happen except that she was so uncomfortable that she didn’t want to dance at all. She was lucky to just be standing there in Chris’ arms, slowly shifting her cumbersome weight back and forth. Ali and Ashlyn both laughed as they danced next to a frustrated Kyle who was taking advantage of his moment on center stage by twirling poor Whitney within an inch of her life. He was strong enough to be able to do it without making them look silly and the defender actually looked like she was enjoying herself. Ashlyn picked Meg up and danced with her after helping little Allie up into big Ali’s arms. The little girls were tired but excited to be on the big dance floor with the adults.

“You did such a great job Meg” the keeper praised as they moved across the floor together. “Did you have fun?”

“Yup. Lotsa fun.”

“What was your favorite part?” Ashlyn asked, dipping the little girl and making her squeal with glee.

“Now!” Meg yelled, laughing out loud.

“Right now? Really?” the blonde dipped her again and laughed along with her.

They danced some more and then the little girl wrapped her arms tightly around Ashlyn’s neck in a hug.

“Love you Ashyun.”

The unplanned declaration caught the keeper by surprise and she found it hard to talk for a minute as her emotions swelled. Instead, she hugged Meg and kissed her cheek.

“I love you too Meg, so much. And I’m so happy that you’re here to celebrate our wedding with us. Thank you for helping us today.”

Once the ‘official’ dances were concluded everybody relaxed, guests and wedding party alike. Dinner was served and everyone began to eat and continued to drink and have a good time. The toasts were done between courses and they were poignant and funny without being too embarrassing. Both best men and the maid and matron of honor gave toasts. Another tweak to tradition. Chris started things off with a couple of funny stories about Ashlyn telling her family about this new girl that she’d met and how she wouldn’t stop talking about her. He finished by thanking Ali for being there for his family, specifically at his own wedding, and explained that even though they were now Kriegers, Ali would always be a Harris too. Whitney followed with a sweet firsthand account of the daily acts of kindness and love that she had been privileged to witness over the past year, living with the couple. She closed out her toast by telling them, honestly, that she had never met two people who were supposed to be together more than Ali and Ashlyn. Kyle got very emotional as he talked about how even though Ali was his younger sister he had always looked up to her. He praised Ashlyn for recognizing the amazing woman his sister was and being strong enough to stand up to her when necessary. He finished by saying how thankful he was to have two sisters now. Sydney stole the show. After talking about how good they were for each other and giving a couple of funny examples, she told the story of their first meeting when Ali had stumbled on a half-naked Ashlyn in the big old house.

“Syd!” Ali hissed then covered her face and laughed along with everybody else when she realized where her best friend was going with her toast.

“What?” Sydney paused to look at her beet red bestie. “You’re the one that brought it up in your vows. I’m just giving the people the rest of the story so they know exactly what made your stomach flutter that first day.” She winked devilishly at the brunette and kept on going.

It was 9:30pm and the party kicked into another gear as soon as the dinner plates were cleared off the tables. The alcohol flowed and the DJ played some great dance music and everybody flooded the huge dance floor. Suit jackets were off, ties were loosened, high heels were stashed underneath tables and dancing was done. As crazy as it occasionally got, Ashlyn kept her word and stayed as close to her bride as possible the entire night. Even when they had to be separated for whatever reason, they were always within arm’s reach, waiting patiently for their next chance to hold hands and reconnect. They had been trying to tell each other the stories of their something old, new, borrowed and blue all night long and still hadn’t quite managed it. When Ali was getting ready to throw her bouquet the blonde couldn’t figure out what she was trying to untie from the stem of it. They were both a little drunk and Ali held her keeper by her suspenders and implored her to keep the string of thimbles safe for her as she slid them, and most of her hand, into Ashlyn’s front pocket. 

She had already given the blonde her grandmother’s handkerchief during one of their first trips to the bathroom together. Peeing while wearing that wedding gown was no small task and Ali needed help. Ashlyn was only too happy to give it. On the first trip they had just unzipped it and taken it all the way off. Ashlyn held the dress for her and then helped her get back into it. It was early on, right after the dances, so they were in a hurry to get back for dinner. Otherwise there would have been some serious groping going on. Ashlyn was dying to get her hands on her new bride. Instead, Ali pulled the handkerchief out of her dress as she took it off and gave it to the blonde for safekeeping. The second time they went to the bathroom they decided, after having several drinks between the first bathroom trip and the second, that it would just be easier for Ashlyn to come into the stall with her and hold the dress up while she peed. It wasn’t a bad plan, except that Ashlyn had to stand practically on top of the brunette to make it work. Which was a challenging thing to do with a slightly drunk Ali who got decidedly more handsy as she drank. Ashlyn couldn’t defend herself either because both of her hands were busy holding up the wedding gown. 

“Al, come on” the blonde whined as Ali ran her hands up and down the front of Ashlyn’s pants and chest. “Baby, please...” the keeper tried to reason with her. “Just wait a little while longer, when we’re at the hotel I’ll make it worth your while, I promise.”

The brunette moved her hand between Ashlyn’s legs and got the front of her shirt untucked before the bathroom door opened and they both froze.

“Please don’t make me lose this bet with Syd guys” Whitney’s voice called out. “She told me to follow you in here and make sure you’re not having sex because it’s time for the toasts and we can’t do those without you there.” The defender explained. “I told her she’s crazy, there’s no way you guys would be that irresponsible on your own wedding day with all of your family out there waiting so patiently for you.”

Ali finished peeing and flushed the toilet.

“Syd bet me $50 that you were in here in some sort of undressed state and I took that bet. Please don’t make me regret it.”

They emerged from the stall, dress back in place, as Whitney finished talking.

“We’re good Whit” Ali offered as she moved to the sink to wash her hands. “Ash was just helping me with my dress so I could pee.”

“Yeah, well, Ash you might want to tuck your shirt in and zip up your pants before we go back out there” the defender smirked at her best friend who at least had the decency to blush.

“Ashlyn!” Ali gasped and feigned shock.

“Oh save it Krieger” Whitney rolled her eyes at the brunette. “I’m not falling for that act anymore. I’ve seen you on cold medicine you tramp.”

Ashlyn howled with laughter and the brunette turned four shades of red as she giggled along with the two blondes. As they took their seats at the table again Sydney only needed thirty seconds to read all of their faces to know she had won the bet. 

The throwing of the bouquet was a complete spectacle. There were far too many fit athletes in the crowd for it to be any other way. Ali turned her back and threw it high and deep and let the soccer players and hockey players duke it out. As she stood there with her wife the brunette looked out at all of the people who had taken the afternoon off from their jobs to drive up to Gloucester and be with them on their big day. Not to mention the people who had flown in the day before or earlier in the day. It was a good group. She looked out and saw George, their builder, and his wife. Mrs. Riley, their housekeeper, and her daughters had brought her mother, Mrs. Cummings. Having the old woman there made Ashlyn feel closer to her own Grandma Lilian and Ali knew it had been important to the blonde. Ashlyn’s friend Liz and her on-again off-again boyfriend from highschool had flown in earlier in the day and were staying at the hotel for the weekend. Nathan and Jared Kimball were there and Ali secretly hoped that Kyle would find his way back into a closer friendship with Nathan. Their neighbors, the Donaldsons and old Mrs. Ornstein, were there. Ali had spent a good deal of time talking with the old woman about her dog and was happy to finally get a chance to interact with her. Marjorie, the elderly runner that Ashlyn had helped at the marathon, was there with her grown son, all the way from Northern Maine. The reporter who had interviewed the keeper immediately after they crossed the finish line had helped her track down Marjorie several days later. Her news station had done a segment where the two were reunited and formally introduced. They had kept in touch via phone calls from that point on. Ashlyn and Ali had paid for Marjorie’s hotel room for that night and were happy to do it. Mattie, their therapist, was there and had made the rounds talking to a lot of people. Ashlyn had noticed her sitting with Tammye and pointed it out to the brunette with a quirk of her eyebrow. The Scott Kriegers had arrived and the brunette noted that their overall comfort level had increased since the holidays at the end of last year. She hoped they would be able to relax and enjoy the beach tomorrow with everybody else. Hilary Knight was there with three of her teammates who Ashlyn had become friendly with. And the crew that was the Pride players’ only real rival in the rowdy department, Ali’s friends Carm, Jessie, Liz, Erica and Heather were there in full voice. The challenge of the evening, so far, had been keeping Jessie off of Danny Amendola. The NE Patriots handsome wide receiver had come as Julian Edelman’s plus one and the girls were going wild for him. Unlike Julian, Danny was single and available. 

And as disenchanted as Ali had become with her sales job, she had invited a handful of people from her company whom she had known since she started ten years earlier. One of the guys was a service technician, one was a delivery truck driver, one was her old sales manager who was now a VP, two were sales reps – fellow ‘old-timers’ like herself, and then the owner, Steven Dudley. She took a little bit of pride in the fact that she was closest to some of the real blue-collar guys from her company. She knew it was unusual for the service techs and truck drivers to give a sales rep the time of day. It wasn’t their fault, really. The sales reps were to blame for the most part because they didn’t always treat those guys with any respect. Ali was shaken from her thoughts by the uproar from the mass of bodies jostling for her bouquet.

Tasha Dowie emerged from the crowd with her fist around the bouquet, lifted triumphantly in the air. Of all the nearly one hundred attendees at the wedding, Ali was most moved by Ashlyn’s teammates. It was their off-week and most of the girls had flown home to see boyfriends and girlfriends and families for the first time since early June. Some had jetted off with friends or loved ones on a relaxing vacation. Yet all of them, every single one of the 19 other women on the roster that season, had come back to Boston early to be here for Ashlyn on her wedding day. Every single one, even the rookies who had only known her for five months. That was a true testament to the team they were building this year, and a huge show of support for one of the leaders on the team. If they had waited until the off-season to have the wedding Ali knew dozens more players, the keeper’s previous teammates, would have come too. About ten Breakers staffers were there as well, enjoying themselves without having to worry too much about the team. They were all together and safe and there were enough of them around to keep each other under control.

Thirty more minutes of dancing and drinking went by and then the brunette was whisked back to the center of the dance floor by her new bride and seated, delicately, in a chair. The blonde kissed her hand as she slowly moved away from the chair. Ali grinned from ear to ear, knowing what was coming next. Ashlyn had taken off her tuxedo jacket and cummerbund long before and her shirt sleeves were folded up to her elbows and her bow tie hung loose around her neck. The top two buttons of her shirt were undone and the collar was open to expose that sexy hollow where her collar bones met at the top of her breast bone. Ali licked her lips without even realizing she had done it as she watched her keeper stalk around the chair for the crowd’s entertainment. The DJ announced the garter toss and Ali threw her head back and laughed at her wife’s antics. The brunette hoped that Whitney had kept her choice of garter between them. She wanted Ashlyn to be surprised when she finally made her way down there.

The keeper moved to the music as she approached the gorgeous brunette with a devilish smirk. Ali scooted closer to the front edge of the chair and got ready for her love. Ashlyn got on her knees and made a show of pushing her wife’s wedding gown up her muscled left leg. She had accepted Chris’ challenge, egged on by the DJ and her teammates, to remove the garter without using her hands. When the dress was up above the brunette’s knee Ali playfully shook her head and wagged her finger in the keeper’s face. As long as she focused on her wife’s beautiful face she didn’t have to think about the owner of her company watching this sexy play with her new bride. ‘Just keep looking at Ashlyn’ she told herself over and over. The blonde winked at her and then put her hands behind her back. Chris joined them to make sure his little sister didn’t cheat. Somebody must have had a bet going somewhere. Ashlyn lowered her grinning face between Ali’s legs and the brunette spread them a little bit wider for her, holding her breath at the same time. Feeling the love of her life so close to her aching clit was torture. And Ashlyn, of course, took full advantage by licking the inside of Ali’s left thigh as she moved her face further under the dress to try and reach the garter. 

The brunette tensed in response and tried desperately to keep her face from registering how turned on she was. Chris cocked his head sideways as he watched and Ali wondered how much he could actually see. Ashlyn felt her girl stiffen and knew she was walking a fine line with so many people watching her shy brunette in such a compromising position. The keeper stopped teasing and felt for the silk undergarment with her nose. She caught a whiff of her bride’s passion and had to swallow hard to stay on course. As soon as she found the garter she attempted to grab it with her teeth but was afraid of biting Ali in the process. Her first two attempts failed because of it. She felt the brunette start to squirm and knew Ali was all done with being on display like that. Ashlyn reached out with her tongue and slipped it under the garter, lifting it just enough so she could get her teeth on it. She could hear the crowd laughing and clapping and wondered what Ali was doing up there that was so funny. What she couldn’t see was the brunette pretending to be bored to tears. Ali inspected her nails and yawned dramatically while everyone laughed along with her. Ashlyn tugged the garter down, hard at first to get past her wife’s strong thigh, and then easier as she pulled it down past her knee. Ali lifted her left leg and held it out straight so her keeper could pull the undergarment all the way off and past her shoe. 

Ashlyn met Ali’s eyes and winked at her again, garter still in her mouth. When she finally stood up to the cheers of the crowd and took the garter from between her teeth she stopped. She looked at the silk fabric and then at her wife, her hazel eyes big and wide in surprise. Ashlyn had bought the Penn State blue garter first, fully expecting her girl to enjoy the navy blue color. She had bought the Carolina blue garter just a few days ago, almost as an afterthought or an inside joke. She had instructed Whitney to let Ali choose whichever one she wanted to wear under her dress that day. But she never expected her to choose the Carolina blue garter. As if she needed more proof of the depth of the brunette’s love for her, the Carolina blue garter she waved above her head would certainly convince anybody, even the most ardent non-believer.

Ali watched her favorite face work through the surprise and the love and the sheer joy of the moment with a smile on her own lips. What she wouldn’t do for that woman. Wear a goddamned Carolina blue garter on her wedding day. Somewhere a Nittany lion was roaring in outrage. The keeper launched the garter as far as she could, which wasn’t very far because it was really lightweight. It got knocked around and landed, briefly, in Tanner’s lap but he wisely flung it back into the crowd. Ali smiled at her sixteen year old step-brother appreciatively when his red face looked her way. When the garter landed next, it stopped squarely on Nathan Kimball’s shoulder and didn’t move again. Ashlyn came over and helped Ali get her dress back down where it belonged and then leaned down and gave her a meaningful kiss.

“Thank you for the blue, baby” she said softly as she took both of her hands and pulled her up out of the chair. “I can’t believe you wore that for me. I love you.”

“I hope somebody got a picture of your face when you finally saw it” Ali giggled as they hugged and moved off the dance floor. “I want that framed, right away.”

The rest of the night was a blur after that. There was more drinking and dancing and several early departures from guests who weren’t staying over and had to drive home. The last official thing the couple had to do was cut the cake so people could come up and eat dessert. They stood side by side and waited for the photographer to get his shots before they guided the knife down with both of their hands on it. Ashlyn held the dessert plate up between them and took a small piece of cake in her fingers and carefully fed it to her wife. The brunette blinked her long lashes back at her in thanks as she chewed the scrumptious cake. Ali fed her keeper with the same care and leaned forward to kiss away the bit of frosting that somehow ended up on the blonde’s bottom lip. It was sweet and intimate and surprisingly sexy. They both felt it deep in their cores and locked eyes for a long minute.

They danced together to a few more songs before starting to make the rounds at 11pm. They stopped at each table and talked with their guests, thanking them for coming and encouraging them to join them the next day at the beach or at the house. Nine tables later they stood near the DJ, ready to make their exit. They looked out over the crowd one last time, waved and then walked out of the castle, crossing the drawbridge at the front and walking past the stone lions that were stationed there on permanent guard duty. Chris pulled up in the passenger van and helped them in before driving them down the road to their suite at the Beauport.

“Well Mrs. Krieger” Ashlyn said as they snuggled together in the van. “I do believe we just had a kick-ass wedding.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a link to the page with the wedding dress that's similar to the one Ali wears (there are three different pics you can look at on the page, if you're interested).
> 
> http://www.davidsbridal.com/Product_strapless-a-line-wedding-dress-with-lace-appliques-op1272_all-wedding-dresses


	24. Wedding Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut warning....pretty much the whole chapter is smut.

It was well after midnight by the time they got up to their suite. It was a gorgeous room with big windows overlooking the ocean. It was too dark to see but they would definitely enjoy the view in the morning. The center of the room was a living area with a sofa, chairs, coffee table and a television. The right side of the room had a huge, king-sized bed and the left side of the room was where the equally huge bathroom was located. Along the back wall, on either side of the door to the hallway, were a desk and chair, a long table, a counter with a coffee maker and a mini-fridge. On the table there was a huge bouquet of red roses and a bucket of ice with an expensive bottle of champagne resting in it. There were two champagne flutes and a bowl of fresh strawberries.

Ali had almost dozed off as she rested her head on her keeper’s shoulder in the van. She was exhausted. And hot. And tired of being in her wedding dress. 

“Wait” Ashlyn said quickly. “Just one more.” She held her phone up and snapped a few more pictures of her gorgeous bride in her beautiful wedding gown.

The brunette whined. “Please Ash, unhook me so I can take it off.” She turned her back and put her hands on her hips, impatiently waiting to be freed from the seventeen pound dress.

Ashlyn pressed a kiss into her bare shoulder as her long fingers worked on the closures and fasteners that held the back of the dress together. She helped Ali step out of the gown and couldn’t help but notice the brunette’s visible relief. Ali’s shoulders relaxed and her back seemed to straighten at the same time, as if being released from a heavy burden. There were also red marks all over Ali’s torso. They looked like little welts, or thin scratches. The skin wasn’t broken but it was a very visual way to understand what the brunette’s body had just endured for over eight hours.

“Honey, are you ok?” she asked tentatively as she gently touched some of the scratches on Ali’s lower back and sides. “Do these scratches hurt?”

The brunette reached behind her and unhooked the special bra that had given her beautiful cleavage all night long while staying hidden in place below the neckline and the slightly plunging backline of the gown. She tossed it onto the back of the sofa, right next to where Ashlyn had carefully laid out the dress. 

“Ahhhh” she sighed and started to scratch every part of her torso that she could reach. “Not really, I just feel like everything’s itchy and sensitive.”

“Well it looks like it hurts” the blonde kissed her other shoulder and got her hand out of Ali’s way. It was hard to keep her eyes off of the brunette’s ass which was clad in the only clothing left on her body - pretty, white panties. “How about a nice bath?” Ashlyn asked, already moving towards the large bathroom with the huge two-person soaking tub with massaging jets.

“Is that really what you want to do now babe?” Ali asked, innocently. Soaking in a tub sounded like heaven to the brunette but having sex with her new wife was really the headlining act for the night and she was very much looking forward to it.

“It is, if that’s ok with you” Ashlyn stopped just outside the bathroom door and turned to look at her girl. She swallowed hard as their eyes met.

“Sure it’s ok with me. I think it sounds great actually, but there are other, more important things...”

“I can wait for a little while longer” the keeper answered truthfully. “And I think the bath will make your skin feel better.”

Ali considered for a few seconds and then walked to one of the bags she had packed for her afternoon and night in the suite.

“Ok, but let’s use this” she dug out some of her favorite bath salts and walked over to the blonde who was grinning at her.

“You brought these? Wow, that’s impressive packing honey” Ashlyn enthused with a big smile.

“Nah, I had Kyle bring them back after he did your hair. Once I saw that tub in there” she motioned over Ashlyn’s shoulder towards the bathroom, “I got excited to take a bath with you while we were here.”

She handed the bath salts to Ashlyn, wrapped her arms around her neck and gave her a soft kiss. 

“God you’re beautiful” the keeper breathed out as their lips parted and Ali stepped back and took her panties off.

“Here, why don’t I run the bath while you get a lot more naked” Ali suggested as she took the bath salts back, pecked the blonde on the lips and walked into the bathroom.

Ashlyn walked into the bathroom five minutes later, completely naked, with the champagne and strawberries. She popped the cork and filled the glasses as they waited for the tub to finish filling. Ali, meanwhile, had been trying to get all of the bobbypins out of her hair so she could undo the chignon and untwist the twist. She found it surprisingly sexy when Ashlyn made her sit on the edge of the tub and then helped her find and remove every last bobbypin. It was the kind of sexy that came from utter devotion and true love. As long as the brunette lived, she would never get over how much Ashlyn cared for her. How much her keeper took care of her. She thought back to the appointment with Mattie where the therapist had talked about having a partner who would be there for the small stuff as well as the big stuff. Ali smiled as the love of her life literally tended to the smallest of details for her by removing the bobbypins from her thick hair.

Ali wanted to take a quick shower first, so she could wash her hair and get rid of all the hairspray and goop Kyle had used to give her the hairdo of her dreams. She was surprised when the blonde joined her but only to wash her own hair. 

“Why waste time in the shower when we can get in the tub together?” the keeper explained with a wink. 

It was the fastest shower they had ever taken. They didn’t even bother drying off afterwards, they just walked across the large bathroom and stepped right into the fragrant and inviting tub.

“Ok, I officially want one of these at home instead of the double shower now.” Ashlyn rolled her eyes at herself, regretting the decision she had made when she renovated the master bathroom. “I can’t even pretend anymore.”

“This is really nice” the brunette agreed with a relaxed sigh.

They were leaning back against the tub, heads resting on little padded pillows built into the rim of the tub. They faced each other and had their legs intertwined as the jets blasted soothing water into their backs. The tub was rectangular shaped with the faucet and water taps in the middle of the long side against the wall. There would have been just enough room for them to sit next to each other instead of across from each other, but they wanted to be able to see each other as they relaxed. The keeper rubbed Ali’s sore feet for her as they talked about some of their favorite moments from the wedding. And Ali kept at least one hand caressing the blonde’s leg in her lap at all times. They drained some water and added more hot water three times as they enjoyed their time together, really together for the first time since that morning. 

Eventually, after the second hot water refill, Ashlyn slid over into the spot next to the brunette and they snuggled up together. They kept talking and exchanging small kisses and touches, just enjoying the intimacy of the moment.

“How is your skin now? Does it feel any better?” Ashlyn helped her bride lean forward so she could try and get a look at Ali’s lower back.

“It’s not bothering me now. This bath was the best idea babe.”

Ali started to scoot back into her snuggling spot but the keeper stopped her with firm hands on her hips.

“Let me give you a little massage. I wanted to earlier but your back looked so angry that I didn’t want to make it worse.” 

Ashlyn moved the brunette away from the side of the tub and then slid in behind her so Ali was sitting in between the keeper’s legs.

“Ash, you don’t have to do that, you’ve already been so sweet to me...”

“Just, let me. Please?” the blonde asked and pressed a kiss into her wife’s shoulder.

Ali warmed the water up for the third time from that position, loving the feeling of Ashlyn’s strong hands all over her neck, shoulders and back. What had been, out of sheer exhaustion mostly, a fairly innocent and chaste relaxation bath started to turn into something more appropriate for a wedding night. Ashlyn’s long fingers reached around and brushed the sides of the brunette’s breasts occasionally. And when Ali re-positioned herself after leaning forward for a sip of champagne, she scooted back so far that she felt Ashlyn’s neatly trimmed curls tickle the top of her ass. She let out a soft moan at the touch and felt a tug in her core.

The keeper had been focusing diligently on the massage. That’s not to say she didn’t enjoy it when her fingers accidentally touched Ali’s breasts. But when she heard her girl moan she knew she was in trouble. Ashlyn felt her pulse quicken and her clit start to ache. It was especially achy because Ali didn’t make any attempt to move forward after she had backed into the blonde’s crotch. Ashlyn moved one of her hands around to the brunette’s stomach, dragging her short nails along the skin as she went. She felt the goosebumps spring up, in spite of the warm water. The keeper added her lips to the back of Ali’s neck, slowly kissing her way to the tip of one shoulder and then all the way back over to the other one. She pulled the brunette back into her and pressed her own breasts into her back. Her nipples weren’t hard yet, but as her arousal increased rapidly she knew it wouldn’t take long. Ali’s hands were on the blonde’s thighs and legs, she kneaded and rubbed them as she let out another moan.

“Oh, Ash.”

“God you feel so good against my skin” the keeper breathed out, mouth right next to Ali’s right ear. “I think we need to stay naked for the rest of the weekend baby.”

Ali giggled and then moaned some more as the keeper’s hand lingered on the sweet spot near Ali’s left hip.

“Fuck” she gasped out when she felt Ashlyn work her fingers across it a few times before moving on. “I think that’s the best idea ever honey” she gasped again when the keeper’s hand started lightly scratching the short hairs above her mound. “But I’m sure our families don’t want to see either of us naked.”

Ali leaned back against the blonde and rested her head back on Ashlyn’s left shoulder. She turned her head towards the keeper’s neck and Ashlyn met her lips with a hot and hungry kiss. The blonde had both hands on her wife’s perfect little breasts, squeezing them and flicking her thumbs across Ali’s dark pink nipples.

“Mmmmm that’s good” Ali slid down a little bit as she relaxed against Ashlyn’s chest. She felt her nipples stiffen under her keeper’s touch and smiled. “Soooo good.”

Neither of them could believe how quickly the atmosphere of the bath had changed. They had relaxed their bodies into almost not needing to have sex. But then, with one or two simple touches, their bodies came out of the bath-induced stasis and fired back to life. The need was strong and intense. Ashlyn explored more of the brunette’s skin as Ali slid a little farther down so she was sitting back on her tailbone.

“Are you ok?” the blonde asked softly, her hands moving down to squeeze Ali’s thighs. “Are you comfortable?”

“I need to kiss you” Ali breathed out as she turned her head towards her wife again.

Ashlyn shifted her position to the right and let Ali’s head drop back into the crook of her strong left arm, cradling her. She braced her arm against the side of the tub and stretched her right leg out to find the other side of the tub to hold them both in place. The brunette shifted down a little bit further, settling into the new position and quickly finding Ashlyn’s lips with her own. They kissed slowly and deeply, tongues dueling and moans and sighs escaping every now and then. From the new position, Ashlyn’s right arm was better able to reach between the brunette’s legs. She started by running her hand up the inside of both of Ali’s thighs, making the brunette pull her knees up and her breathing quicken. 

“Fuck you’re sexy” the keeper mumbled against Ali’s lips as they continued kissing. “Drive me so damned crazy.”

Ali started rubbing her own breasts, slowly, almost absent-mindedly. The blonde’s fingers finally started to slide through her wife’s wet folds. She spread her pussy lips apart and moved her fingers all through everything, teasing Ali’s entrance and getting her breathing even heavier.

“Mmmmmmmmm” the brunette hummed into Ashlyn’s mouth when she felt the wonderful sensations coming from her needy core.

Ashlyn finally stopped teasing and slid her two middle fingers deep into Ali’s center. The brunette groaned loudly and bit down hard on her keeper’s bottom lip.

“Mmm” Ashlyn hummed sharply in response to the bite but Ali’s mouth was back on hers in a second.

“I can’t get enough of your mouth tonight babe” the brunette panted out, trying to catch her breath after the long series of kisses. “Unnnhhh...” she groaned again as she felt Ashlyn’s fingers start to pump in and out of her hot and ready pussy. “Fuuuu-uccckk” she moaned out as her body started to jerk back and forth to the blonde’s rhythm.

Ashlyn loved holding the brunette in her arms like that and gave her a searing kiss to tell her so. The water in the tub moved with them and started to splash around the sides a bit. It wasn’t the wet sound that the keeper preferred to hear while she was banging her girl, but it was sloshy enough and it would have to do for that moment. Every time Ashlyn pulled her lips away from Ali’s for a quick breath, the brunette grabbed her face and pulled it back into another steamy kiss. Ali’s other hand was making slow circles around her own clit, trying to stay out of her keeper’s way.

“Goddamn Ashlyn” she panted out as her keeper increased her pace and sent Ali to the next level of turned-on.

The brunette’s left hand started rubbing her own clit with a purpose and her walls began to squeeze Ashlyn’s strong fingers as they forcefully thrusted in and out. The keeper was very limited in what she could do from that position. Her left hand was useless because it was holding Ali’s head and upper body up. The most her hand could do was rub across the top of Ali’s chest and neck. Her mouth was limited too, only able to kiss her wife’s eager lips. Neither of those things was bad and the blonde made the most of both. But she missed kissing every other part of the brunette. Oh well, there would be round two to make up for it.

“Oh! Yes babe. Unnnhhhh. Fuck!” Ali yelled as she started to feel her orgasm working its’ way towards her. “Don’t stop. Please don’t stop.”

There was no way Ashlyn was going to stop. The angle was hard on her wrist but she didn’t care. She would have all weekend in their house full of people to nurse it if she needed to.

“I won’t stop baby. Oh you feel amazing. So fucking hot.”

Ali increased the pressure on her clit, pinched her breast and, in another minute, she came hard. “Yesssss!” she yelled loudly. Her whole body convulsed and shook, splashing water everywhere as she rode her orgasm all the way to its’ end. 

Ashlyn held her through it all, making sure she didn’t hurt herself on the tub as she thrashed around. The blonde placed kisses all over her face and neck as she held her in her arms.

“I love you. You’re so beautiful. I can’t believe you’re mine. I don’t ever want to let you go” Ashlyn whispered softly in between the kisses. 

Once Ali’s body had stilled they realized how chilly the water had gotten. They shared another deep kiss and then got out of the tub. They dried each other off and got ready for bed, brushing teeth and removing contacts. Neither of them said very much but they stayed as close to each other’s naked body as possible the whole time. It was as if it was painful for them to be separated for even a moment. When it was Ashlyn’s turn to pee, Ali straddled her on the toilet and kissed her neck, unable to bear the distance for even those few minutes. When they were finally ready to leave the bathroom the brunette was still hugging and lazily kissing her wife. Ashlyn bent her knees and picked her up. Ali gasped in surprise, wrapped her legs around the blonde’s waist and went back to kissing her neck. The keeper put both hands under her wife’s beautiful ass and walked them across the suite to the bed.

“Water” Ali’s head popped up as they passed the table where they had dropped some of their supplies.

Ashlyn veered closer to the table and the brunette grabbed two bottles of water on their way by. 

“Phone.”

The blonde chuckled and stopped by the desk so Ali could grab both of their phones.

“Grab the charger too” Ashlyn said sweetly. “I’m not coming back for it.”

When they finally made it to the king-sized bed it was after 2am and they were both beyond exhausted. Ashlyn gently dropped her new bride onto the bed and then crawled in after her. She reached for Ali so they could snuggle and fall asleep.

“Oh no babe” the brunette moved away and then climbed on top of her sexy keeper. “There’s no way I’m letting you fall asleep before I rock your world with at least one orgasm. It’s our wedding night.”

One orgasm was all either of them could muster, but it was a really good one. Ashlyn cried out Ali’s name for everyone to hear as she came undone. They curled up together and were asleep almost before they could each say ‘I love you’.

It was 5:45am and the keeper had just woken the brunette up with an orgasm. The bathtub sex had been pretty great but she missed so much of her wife’s body that she just couldn’t resist touching her once she’d had some sleep.

“What are you doing babe?” Ali’s mid-sleep voice was hoarse as she squinted at the blonde walking over to the wall full of windows looking out over the ocean. She shamelessly admired Ashlyn’s naked body as it moved across the room.

“It’s almost sunrise...” the keeper answered as she pulled the cord opening the heavy curtains.

“Ash! You don’t have any clothes on honey” Ali warned as she sat up straighter in the bed.

The blonde pulled the other cord and opened the sheer inner curtain, fully exposing the glass so they could watch the sun come up over the horizon. She jogged back towards the bed and dove into it with a giggle.

“I know” she panted. “Why do you think I’m running?”

They lay in each other’s arms and drowsily watched the sun rise. From the bed they could see that there was nobody out there to look in and see Ashlyn’s naked ass as it had run back to the bed. Unless there was a really big ship way out there that they couldn’t see, their privacy was intact. Sleep overtook them again and didn’t release them until three hours later.

“Mrs. Krieger” the brunette poked her new wife in the shoulder as they lay curled up in bed. “Are you awake yet?”

“That depends” a sly grin appeared on the keeper’s face but her eyes remained closed.

“On what?” Ali giggled softly and pressed a kiss into the spot she had just poked.

“On what I get to eat for breakfast.”

“Yay! I’m starving” Ali propped herself up on her elbow and kissed the blonde’s lips quickly. “Let’s order room service.”

Ashlyn opened one eye and smirked. 

“That’s not exactly what I was talking about.” She reached her hand between Ali’s legs and flexed her fingers back and forth as her smirk got bigger. 

The brunette bit her bottom lip and closed her eyes halfway as the desire they thought had been sated came back to life again.

“Unnhh Ash” she moaned quietly and brought her hand up to the keeper’s breasts. “I need to eat food” she breathed out as her wife’s fingers continued to move around. “Let me just order breakfast first.”

“You do what you need to do baby, and I’ll do what I need to do” Ashlyn pushed the brunette over onto her back and moved under the covers until her mouth was between Ali’s strong thighs.

“Jesus” Ali groaned as she felt the blonde’s warm tongue moving in curving patterns on the inside of her thighs. “I need to order the food babe” she said, frustrated but turned on.

“Well get to it woman!” Ashlyn teased. “I’m not stopping so you’d better hurry up or they won’t be able to understand you.”

The brunette reached for the hotel phone on the nightstand and had one of the most awkward conversations of her life. She ordered their breakfast in fits and starts as she tried to stay focused while Ashlyn ate her out and played with her breasts. It was all she could do to get the phone hung up properly so they weren’t putting on a pornographic radio show for the room service and kitchen staff. 

“Fuck...25 minutes...God...” she breathed out as her legs started to twitch. She buried her hands in unruly blonde hair and started to grind against Ashlyn’s face.

The keeper grinned when she felt Ali grinding. She could not believe how fucking hot her beautiful brunette made her. The passion pooled between Ashlyn’s own legs was threatening to spill all over the sheets and Ali wasn’t even trying to get her off yet. The blonde re-focused on the delicious pussy in her face and thrust her tongue in one last time, making Ali moan loudly. Ashlyn’s fingers were pulling and pinching at her nipples and she could feel the brunette’s chest rising and falling rapidly. She moved her lips up to Ali’s aching clit, sucking and licking as she went. Before the brunette could complain about the loss of contact, Ashlyn pushed two strong fingers all the way inside her and spread them around.

“Yessss...oh my God...please Ash...”

The keeper grinned some more and started to thrust with a purpose while she sucked hard on Ali’s sensitive clit. The combination of thrusting, sucking and pinching was almost too much for Ali to handle. She really thought she might faint. She knew it was mostly from lack of food but that knowledge didn’t stop the incredibly strong sensations from making her dizzy. And what did she know anyway? Maybe she really was seeing stars because her wife was about to give her the best fucking orgasm she’d ever had. 

Ashlyn flicked her tongue across the brunette’s clit a few times and pinched her right nipple harder than usual to throw her over the edge. Ali came with a loud shout and a string of four-letter words as her body jerked with spasms and twitches for almost a full minute. The keeper pulled her fingers out of her pulsing pussy and dragged them up the brunette’s body leaving a trail of juices on her beautiful, tanned skin.

“Oh my fucking God” Ali panted out as she finally stopped shaking from the intense orgasm. “That was incredible.”

“Mmmmhmmm” the keeper mumbled as she worked her way up the brunette’s body, licking up the trail of passion as she went. 

She kissed Ali hard when she finally got to her face and the brunette wrapped her arms around her shoulders and held her as tightly as she possibly could. When they finally broke for air Ali moved her hands down to Ashlyn’s ass and kneaded it with another small moan.

“That was definitely the most important meal of the day” the blonde quipped and sat up, straddling Ali’s hips and moving her hands to her small, perky breasts.

The brunette chuckled at the keeper’s dumb joke and tugged her up higher, pulling her by her ass cheeks. Ali scooted down a little bit to make room up by the head of the bed and kept moving her bride up towards her face.

“I want my breakfast now too” she purred and licked her lips as she ran her eyes over Ashlyn’s beautiful torso. “Get up here sexy, I need to taste you right now.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Mmmmhmmmm” Ali hummed and blinked up at the sexy blonde through lidded eyes.

Ashlyn got into position with a knee on either side of the brunette’s face. She was lowering herself down gradually, trying to tease her girl, but Ali had other plans. The brunette grabbed Ashlyn’s hips and pulled her down onto her eager mouth. She licked every inch of her, humming and moaning loudly as she feasted. Ashlyn may have been better with the strap-on but Ali was better with her mouth.

“Jesus Al” the keeper moaned and brought her hands to her own breasts. “Fuck that feels good.”

Ali licked and sucked at her clit for a few minutes before moving back down to start thrusting her strong tongue into Ashlyn’s dripping pussy. She moaned as she felt all of the passion cover her chin and her nose and even her cheeks as she moved her head side to side. Ali felt the keeper’s walls already grabbing at her tongue and was surprised at how close Ashlyn already was to her release. She understood though. Nothing made her hornier than getting her girl off. Nothing. The brunette pulled her right hand off of Ashlyn’s ass and moved it to her needy clit. She started tracing slow circles around it and then began rubbing it with her thumb.

“Oh! Fuck yes...unnhhh...”

It didn’t take more than a minute longer. Ashlyn came hard and grabbed onto the decorative headboard to try and hold herself up as the orgasm wracked her body with wave after wave of pleasure. Her whole body convulsed and she let out a mangled cry of ecstasy as she collapsed back onto the bed, her head down by Ali’s knee. She lay on her back, panting as her chest heaved in an attempt to breathe.

“Holy shit...that was...wow...”

Ali sat up and reached over to stroke her soft skin and trace her flower tattoos. Just then there was a sharp knock on the door.

“Room Service.”

Both women jumped and then giggled. 

“Oh my God, I wonder how much he heard?” Ali whispered and blushed.

“You’re going to have to get that sweetheart” Ashlyn panted out. “You have temporarily disabled me.”

Ali jumped up and quickly surveyed the room. The plush robes were still in the bathroom, they hadn’t bothered to use them last night in all the nakedness. Her clothes were in the suitcase which was still in the living room area of the suite, all of which was exposed by the open curtains.

“Shit” she murmured as she tried to decide what to do.

“Just take the sheet” Ashlyn suggested and started to pull and untuck it from the bottom of the bed. 

The brunette grabbed it and wrapped it around herself, blushing even more. She muttered to herself as she finished the job.

“This is ridiculous.”

“You’re the one who wanted to order room service” Ashlyn grinned up at her.

“Oh zip it” Ali replied with a half-glare. Not even answering the door naked could ruin her mood today. She was just too insanely happy to care. She winked at her wife and started to move for the door as they heard another knock.

“Coming!” she called out.

“Al!” Ashlyn whisper-yelled as the brunette almost had her hand on the door handle.

Ali turned to look at her with frustration in her eyes.

“Wipe your face” the blonde whispered and moved her hand over her own face to demonstrate.

Ali’s eyes went wide in horror as she brought the corner of the sheet up to her face. Ashlyn couldn’t help but giggle as she watched the brunette’s face turn a shade of red that she had never seen before.

By the time they finished inhaling their second breakfasts it was 10:30am and they had to think about getting up and heading back to the big old house. They would have loved to stay later but they wanted to get home no later than 1pm so they could spend some time with their guests. Also, Ashlyn wanted to make sure to spend most of the day with Meg so the little girl would be comfortable and feel safe and at home with her before Hannah left the next day.

They grudgingly got up and got into the shower. Then they had to take a second shower with a strict no touching agreement after their first attempt ended with hot and steamy shower sex. Neither of them was complaining. They stood together and looked at the ocean out of the big windows one last time, suitcases and garment bags packed and ready to wheel out the door.

“Well Mrs. Krieger,” Ali said as they walked arm in arm towards the door. “I do believe we just had a kick-ass wedding night.”


	25. The Little Prince Redux

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last of the wedding weekend chapters. Hope you enjoy.

The rest of the weekend went by much too quickly. There wasn’t anything extraordinary about the two days. In fact, they were very much the same as the two days before the wedding had been. Everybody came over to the house and went to the beach. When someone got sick of the sun or the sand they went up to the house and played with the dogs or had a nap or ate some food or watched some tv. There was someone around the house all the time and both Ali and Ashlyn loved it that way. It was odd to the brunette at first, she had spent so long by herself in her small house that she had gotten used to a certain amount of solitude. She had come to love it. The quiet mornings, the peaceful afternoons, the drama-free evenings. She had always been a gregarious and friendly person but those four years had taught her how to be alone and enjoy it. So the notion of five days with a house teeming with friends and family and absolutely no privacy had made her nervous at first. She had never admitted it to the blonde, but Ashlyn knew. The keeper brought it up the week before the wedding.

“You know, if it gets to be too much you can always go to Syd’s” Ashlyn said as they walked the dogs one evening. “I’ll cover for you.”

“What do you mean?” Ali asked, surprised that her fiancée had figured out her worry so well.

“I just think we should have an escape plan for when it gets too stressful, that’s all.” Ashlyn shrugged her shoulders. “I figure I’ll hide out in the garage. I’ll just load up the loft with some snacks and maybe a cooler and hope the wifi will work up there.”

“What if I want to share the garage with you instead of going to Syd’s?” Ali slipped her hand in the blonde’s as they turned and walked up the driveway.

“Well that would make me the happiest girl in the world.”

But once it was actually happening, Ali was fine with the busy household and the never-ending guests. The constant stream of people in and out of the refrigerator and pantry didn’t actually bother her at all. She wasn’t crazy about cleaning up after everybody but even that wasn’t a big deal because Whitney and Kyle had gone above and beyond to make sure to take care of as much of that as possible. It wasn’t like they were hosting a bunch of rude strangers. These were all people they loved and that made it so much more wonderful. When Saturday night finally rolled around, the thought of everybody leaving the next day made the brunette indescribably sad. 

There had been many heartfelt and touching moments shared among the large, extended group during the four days that they were together. The two families got along just fine. Both women had been happy about that since they first started merging the two families last Easter down at Ashlyn’s training camp. But after eighteen months together, Ali and Ashlyn’s families were really beginning to bond. Deb and Tammye walked together on the beach each morning and seemed like old friends. Kyle and Chris were maybe the least likely to bond, their differences outnumbered their similarities for sure, but they also had grown close. Each man felt a comfort knowing he wasn’t the only weak link in the chain. Chris took solace in the fact that Ali was just as worried about Kyle relapsing as Ashlyn was about him relapsing himself. It was hard to explain adequately, but it was nice to not be the only fuck-up in the family. And they both absolutely loved teasing their little sisters. Ken and Mike Harris were the least familiar with each other. They simply didn’t spend as much time with the other family as everyone else did. The wedding was only the second time the two men had socialized together, the Harris family vacation for the Jill & Jill party/fourth of July the month before being the first. 

Saturday night, after Ashlyn had put Meg to bed and come back downstairs to take the trash out to the garage, Mike and Ken were standing in the middle of the garage talking. The overhead door was open and they stood under the light inside the garage so it was impossible to see much in the darkness of the driveway. Ashlyn was lost in her thoughts, worrying about whether Meg was going to freak out tomorrow when Hannah left her by herself with the blonde for the first time away from home. She walked around the back of Ali’s truck and over to the far side of the garage where they kept the big trash and recycling cans that got wheeled down to the curb every Friday morning. As she stood there about to lift the lid up she heard voices through the open awning windows just above her head.

“Yeah, Ash says her contractor said it was structurally sound so they started using the loft for some storage” Mike recited back what his daughter had told him during their last visit in July. “They just need to decide what to do with the overhead door.”

“It sure seems safe” Ken agreed. “I’m glad she had the builder check it out though. Just to be sure.”

“It’s hard to believe she’s the same girl who used to climb onto the roof of the house just so she could jump off of it and do it all over again.” Mike chuckled as he looked around the garage like the protective father he was. “I should just be thankful that she’s learned how to take care of herself” he paused, “you know, like realizing the old garage might not be sturdy enough to store things in.” He turned his back to Ken and pretended to look at the other side of the garage as he fought to get his emotions under control.

“I can’t believe my baby girl is 33 years old” Ken added wistfully. “It was just yesterday that her favorite thing to do was to go for a ride and get ice cream with her old man.” He chuckled at the memory. “Where the hell did the time go?”

They were quiet for a moment before Mike turned back to face Ken and spoke again.

“I sure do admire your girl Ken. She’s been so good to me and my family.” He looked down bashfully and then raised his eyes to meet Ken’s again. “I can’t imagine anyone better for my Ashlyn.”

“I know how you feel Mike” Ken grinned back at his counterpart. “I just think the world of Ashlyn. And I want you to know” he waited a second and swallowed the emotions that surprised him as he talked. “I’ll look out for her up here. If she ever needs me to. I know it must be hard for you to have her so far away. But you have my word, I’ll always watch over both of them.”

Ashlyn quietly closed the lid and walked back to the house in the darkness, a few tears threatening to fall over the grateful smile on her face.

There had been some people who had spent a lot of time together at the wedding and reception, surprisingly so. Ali’s friend Carm flirted shamelessly all night long with one of the Boston Pride players. Becky Krieger, Uncle Scott’s wife, spent more time talking with Gram than almost anybody else. That was an odd pairing to be sure. One of Ali’s co-workers, one of the sales reps her age, followed Hannah around all night long like a lost puppy. And Ali’s boss, Steven Dudley, did the same thing to Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola. He usually impressed people with his wallet but with Bob Kraft taking care of the open bar, Steven’s biggest weapon was out of commission. 

But the most peculiar friendship of the night had definitely been Tammye and Mattie, the therapist. Mattie had attended by herself and been seated at the family table with all of the Harrises, Kriegers and Christophers, except for Chris and Kyle who were at the head table. Seating had gotten challenging as the wedding date got closer and the couple knew Mattie could fend for herself in that seat if necessary. Every time Ashlyn had visited the table or looked over to check on the families she saw the two women with their heads together, talking. Or else their heads were back and they were laughing out loud. She had never seen her mother so animated at such a big, social gathering.

And Ali’s heart had soared when she and Ashlyn finally got to the beach Saturday afternoon. There was a large group of wedding guests already there, including most of their families. The brunette was happy as she looked over the cast of characters spread out across the sand and surf. She saw Chris and Mike Harris boogie boarding with Meg while Rachael and little Allie watched closely from a few feet away. Deb was sitting with Ali’s friends as they lay on their towels, working on their tans. The elder woman talked animatedly with all of them, catching up on their busy, young lives. Gram and Tammye sat up higher on the beach in chairs with several of the Scott Krieger family. The wedding weekend was the first time the extended Krieger family had met any of the Harrises and they were intrigued to learn more about the Southerners. Ken and Vicki’s boys were playing beach volleyball with Whitney, Dom and Molly while Niki and Noah entertained Hannah, Sydney and her mom Sandi in beach chairs nearby. Ashlyn’s best friend from home, Liz, was swimming in the clear blue ocean with her boyfriend playfully splashing at her. Mike Christopher had gone golfing with some of the Scott Krieger group, but they would be back in time for dinner. 

Ali was most pleased by what she saw at the very end of her surveillance. Walking along the beach, shoulder to shoulder in the surf with big smiles on their faces, were Nathan and Kyle. The brunette grinned and squeezed Ashlyn’s hand when she spotted them, pointing them out to the keeper. They were still a good ways down the beach and the couple watched as Kyle threw his head back and laughed at something Nathan said. Kyle pushed him a little bit and then ran into the water, high-stepping until he was almost waist deep and then diving under the waves. Nathan tossed his t-shirt onto the sand and took off after him. Ali didn’t know what was going on or if anything would happen between the two long-time friends but she was thrilled to see her brother look genuinely happy for the first time in a very long time.

Sunday was a little bit different. There was a sort of sadness that seeped into the joy as people started leaving and getting ready to leave. The Scott Krieger crew drove back up to New Hampshire Saturday evening after dinner and Liz and her boyfriend left before lunch time on Sunday. Dom and Ken were in charge of transportation, taking the passenger van periodically and getting travelers to the airport on time. Hannah and the Christophers were the next group to depart, just after lunch on Sunday. That was a tough group to lose for different reasons. Ali was devastated to see her mom leave and she was surprised at the depth of her own emotions. Deb visited more often than most of their Florida relatives and she had come up several days before everybody else earlier in the week. There was no reason for the goodbye to be so difficult, and yet it was. 

Hannah’s departure wasn’t sad but it was more than a little nerve-wracking for both Ashlyn and Ali. Meg was staying behind to have her very first Gloucester vacation on her own. Ali and Ashlyn would fly to DC on Friday to bring Meg home. Then they would continue to Satellite Beach to meet their new nephew, flying a day before the rest of the Breakers for their away game against the Orlando Pride. Hannah was nervous too but all three women put on brave faces to keep Meg from being too upset. They had talked with the 5-1/2 year old each day about what would happen on Sunday and then the rest of the following week. She was prepared and ready and all they had to do was rip the band-aid off and do it. Ashlyn and Ali were both staying at the house to be with Meg and help distract her with another trip to the beach or playtime with the dogs. Ashlyn and Hannah’s eyes met as the redhead got into the passenger van. They both knew what a big deal it was and Ashlyn nodded solemnly at her ex-girlfriend. Hannah knew she could trust Ashlyn to take good care of her daughter. She knew the keeper would do anything in the world for Meg. And she also knew it was a good way to finally be able to take a grown-up vacation with her fiancé. Any single mother would tell you the same thing. It killed her to leave her girl behind but she knew it was important for everybody and that it would ultimately be good for everyone involved too.

“You sure do make a good momma” Gram nudged her granddaughter in the shoulder as they stood side by side looking out the kitchen window that afternoon. They were watching Ali, Whitney and Meg playing in the backyard with the dogs.

“I don’t know about that, but I love her to pieces” the blonde replied, not taking her eyes off of the little girl.

“Well I know all about it and I’m telling you Bashy” Gram chuckled and put her arm around the keeper’s waist. She leaned her head against the strong younger woman and Ashlyn put her arm around her grandmother’s shoulder in a sideways hug. “You all are going to be the best little mommas in the world and I can’t wait for more great-grandbabies.”

“Geez Gram” Ashlyn looked down at her grinning grandmother with an incredulous look on her face. “We’ve only been married for two days!”

“I know. I know. But you’re both ready. I can tell. When are you going to do it, have you decided yet?”

They had decided but they had also decided to keep it to themselves in case one of them changed their minds or something happened to delay their plans.

“Ali will kill me if she finds out I told you so...”

“Your secret is safe with me” Gram said with a squeeze of the keeper’s waist.

Ashlyn knew that it was the truth. Gram had guarded so many of her secrets over the years. More than she could even remember.

“We’re going to try and get Ali pregnant at the end of next year, so hopefully you’ll have a new great-grandbaby in 2019. She wants to get her MBA first and it’s the best way to make that happen.”

“Oh that’s wonderful news honey.” She squeezed the blonde again and patted her side. “I’m so happy for you both. And I won’t say a word.”

Late Sunday afternoon the last trip to the airport took all of the Harrises. The big old house felt empty and quiet, even with an excited toddler running around with two eager dogs. Sydney, Whitney and Kyle were the only people left and they sat slumped in the living room, exhausted. Luna and Boss were with them, watching Meg run laps around the downstairs with the younger dogs trailing after her giggles. Ashlyn stood in the mudroom for a minute, trying to stop the tears from falling down her face.

“Aw honey” Ali cooed as she entered from the kitchen. “Come here.” 

She pulled the blonde by the hand back into the kitchen and then into the pantry so Meg wouldn’t see her tears. Ali slid the pocket door almost closed just before the little girl completed another lap and ran by them unaware. 

“Are you ok?” the brunette whispered soothingly as she held her wife close and rubbed her back.

Ashlyn didn’t answer her. She just let the hot tears fall. They stayed like that for a few minutes, just hugging each other silently. Meg came around again and jogged past the pantry and into the kitchen with Fred close on her heels. But in the two inch space where the pocket door hadn’t closed all the way, Persey stuck her nose in and whined. 

“Shit” Ashlyn said quickly and quietly as she pulled away and wiped her face. “Persey, it’s ok. Go play” she whispered to the sensitive pup.

But Persey wasn’t buying it. She moved her nose back and forth to try to push the door open and whined even louder. Ali squatted down to try and soothe the pup and keep her quiet so Meg wouldn’t come investigate. The brunette looked up at her wife and frowned sadly to see her trying to hide her tears. 

“Persey, what you doin?” came the little voice.

Ali held her breath and stood up to try and block Ashlyn from view and give her another few seconds to get herself under control. Four little fingers grabbed the edge of the pocket door and pulled it open another foot. Persey squeezed herself through and went right to Ashlyn’s legs, jumping up and then standing and leaning on them as she wagged her entire body and whined at the sad keeper.

“Hey” Meg said, surprised to see people in the pantry with the door closed.

“Hi honey” Ali said cheerfully and opened the door wider. She tried to usher the little girl in front of her back into the kitchen so the blonde would have a little bit more time. “Are you thirsty? You’ve been getting some good exercise in. Should we get you some juice?”

“Why is Ashyun in there?” she asked, eyes still trying to see around the brunette’s body.

“Oh, she was helping me find something for dinner” Ali lied. She hated to lie. But she was also a firm believer in the benefits of a properly executed little white lie. Meg’s first night without Hannah was going to be tough enough. They didn’t need to make it any harder for her.

“Hey, I thought I got to pick dinner tonight?” Meg questioned, mind already focused on the new topic of discussion. “You said we could have whatever I want tonight cuz it’s a special night.”

“Ugh, you’re absolutely right” Ali said and shook her head dramatically. “I can’t believe I almost forgot that.” She handed the little girl a sippy cup with half juice and half water and rolled her eyes playfully. “Have you decided what you want yet?”

“Ah-huh” Meg answered after taking a big drink. “Pizza!”

//

It had taken a couple of days for Ali and Ashlyn to feel like themselves again. They didn’t really feel different exactly, but they didn’t feel like the way they used to either. Being married did feel different and awesome. They tried to explain it to each other but it was hard to get the right words to describe what they were both feeling. They felt more connected, more unified, safer, more permanent, more loved. Which, if they thought about their relationship before they got married, was exactly the way they had always felt since Ali moved in. That had been the big difference-maker for them. They never imagined those wonderful feelings of intimacy and companionship and trust and devotion could get any stronger. But they absolutely had gotten ten times stronger as soon as they slid their wedding bands on. They were so ridiculously happy that they found it difficult to do anything but stare at each other with goofy, lovestruck grins. It was a good thing they had Meg and a very busy week to keep them tethered to the ground or they both might have floated away on all of that romance and happiness.

The Breakers were back at training Monday morning. There were five games left in the first four weeks of September and The Breakers were fighting for a play-off spot. They were in a fierce battle for second place with the Chicago Red Stars. Portland was running away with first place and they would be impossible to catch unless they completely collapsed over the last month of the season. And the NC Courage, the Breakers’ old nemesis Western New York Flash, were charging up the table in a fight of their own with FC Kansas City for fourth place. Training was tough and a lot of players were recovering from knocks and other minor injuries that late in the season. The coach switched up the training schedule that week to try and keep some players fresh and to get some other players recovered. Monday, Wednesday and Friday they would have only the morning training session. Tuesday and Thursday they would go back to the more typical morning training session, then a break, then an afternoon training session. Saturday afternoon they would fly down to Orlando for their next game against the Pride on Sunday. The team was focused and surprisingly ready to be challenged by the coaching staff. They were hungry to be tested. And because they had all come back early for Ashlyn’s wedding, they were literally chomping at the bit at Monday morning’s practice. The challenge for the coaches and some of the veterans would be harnessing all of that energy and ambition into something they could use to defeat the teams left on their schedule.

Ali had a busy week too. She had taken almost all of last week off and the busy season was already starting up for her. She spent as much time as she could at her desk, making phone calls and churning out the quotes and re-quotes that her customers needed. She knew she would have to put in some late nights to make up for the time she would lose to Meg’s visit that week, especially on Tuesday and Thursday when Ashlyn would be gone for most of the day. 

Things at Knight-Harris were busy as well. Ashlyn’s clothing line had taken off and was selling like crazy. Having Julian Edelman wear one of Ashlyn’s t-shirts at media day for the Super Bowl back in February had been the beginning of a rising wave of demand for all articles of clothing that the keeper put out. As soon as they got something back in stock, it would sell out within hours. It was a high-class problem to have but the fans were getting aggravated that they couldn’t purchase the items that they wanted. Ali and Jared worked with the manufacturer and distributor to try and increase the speed and volume. The snapbacks were the toughest items to keep in stock. 

“Listen” Ali said tersely into the phone Monday afternoon. “We’ve been more than patient and I told you last month that we’re done being patient with your distribution channel backlog. If you can’t handle the workload then our current order will be our last and we’ll find somebody else who can keep up with us.”

Jared’s eyes went wide as he looked at the fiery brunette. She motioned towards him and his computer with her own wide eyes. He immediately started searching for the four or five other companies that had contacted Knight-Harris throughout the course of the year, looking for a merchandise deal. The list popped up on his screen as Ali listened to more bullshit about maximum capacity, blah blah blah. She was in sales and she knew when someone was trying to blow smoke up her ass because they were either too lazy or too dumb to be able to do what she needed them to do.

“Well that’s too bad Len,” she said as she walked behind the intern and peeked over his shoulder, “because I’m looking at a list of six other vendors that are eager to work with me on this...”

“No, I’m not bluffing. What the hell?..”

“At least double, preferably triple...”

“No, on all items, but especially the snapbacks...”

“If you can’t keep up with us now how the hell are you going to manage when the new designs come out in January?”

“What are your plans for October after the play-offs? Demand is going to skyrocket when the Breakers are playing in Orlando for the championship game...” Ali referenced the league’s announcement that the championship game would be played in Orlando’s brand new all-grass stadium.

“Because she’s from Orlando! Jesus, why is this so hard? I’m trying to make us both more money Len. What do you have against that?”

As soon as she got off the phone, exasperated beyond belief, she told Jared to call all six of those companies to see if they were still interested in partnering with Knight-Harris. Ali would talk to any of them that were and make arrangements for some play-off specific t-shirts to be printed and sold once the season ended and the play-off spots were determined on September 24th. She was also going to do Championship t-shirts as well. It was a gamble but she felt sure the Breakers could get there. There was just something special about the team that season and Ali knew it.

//

The first night with Meg, Sunday, had been rough. Hannah had Facetimed, as planned, at 8pm bedtime. The call had gone well and Meg hadn’t cried until Ashlyn’s phone went dark. She burst into tears, Ashlyn sitting next to her on the twin bed and Ali standing in the doorway, not sure what she could do to help. Whitney and Kyle were in the hallway feeling the same uncertainty but ready to help if they could.

“Do you miss mama?” the keeper asked quietly as she hugged the little girl against her chest. “It’s ok to miss her when she’s not here you know.”

Meg’s cries changed to irregular gasps as she rubbed her little eyes and tried to breathe through her tears. She was looking at the doorway and reached her arm out towards Ali. The brunette crossed the room and took Meg’s hand as she sat on the end of the bed. Ashlyn turned her head and smiled softly at her.

“Hey honey” Ali said to the little girl.

“I miss my mama” she said and then cried again, although not quite as hard or for as long.

“I know you do sweetie.” Ali smiled warmly at the toddler. “And she misses you too. But you’re both going to go on your adventures and then when you see each other again on Friday you can tell each other all about the wonderful times you had. Remember?”

“Ah-huh” she gasped out and took a big, shuddering breath.

Ashlyn felt her little body relax and she laid her down in the bed and stretched out next to her, putting her feet in Ali’s lap at the foot of the bed. The brunette moved her hand to Meg’s little foot through the covers and squeezed it.

“It’s ok to miss her Meggie” Ashlyn said again. “That’s how you know you really really love somebody. If your heart hurts when you’re away from them.”

“My heart hurts a lot.”

“I’m sorry about that baby girl. My heart hurts a lot too because I’m missing my mama now too.”

“You are?” Meg asked and turned her head to look into Ashlyn’s eyes.

“I sure am. My mom left today too, remember?”

“Ah-huh.” She looked down at Ali and cocked her head to the side as she took another big, shaky breath.

“And I’m missing my mama too” the brunette added quietly. “A lot.”

“So we’re all missing our mamas tonight and that’s ok” the blonde wiped some of the tears off of Meg’s flushed face and brushed the hair back off her forehead.

“Sorry guys!” Whitney apologized as Persey wriggled through her hands and ran into the room.

Ashlyn sat up to run interference but Persey dodged her long arms and effortlessly jumped up onto the bed. She walked up the far side of the bed, by the wall, and sniffed Meg’s face while her tail wagged. Meg smiled and patted the dog. Persey wagged her tail harder, gave Meg’s cheek one quick lick and then curled up next to her with her chin on the little girl’s hip. Meg grinned from ear to ear and looked from Ashlyn to Ali to make sure they had just seen the same thing.

“Persey girl always has to come check on whoever’s upset or crying. She wants to make you feel better” Ashlyn explained with her own dimpled grin.

Ali rolled her eyes, careful not to let Meg see. She loved Persey’s compassionate personality but she was just worried that it would be one more distraction for the little girl. At this rate, the toddler would never get to sleep. Thankfully, Meg yawned and snuggled closer to the dog.

“Read to me?” she asked, looking back and forth between them both again.

“Sure thing sweetie” the blonde answered and sat next to the little girl, leaning on a pillow against the headboard. “There’s a special book I wanted to read to you this week. Do you think you might want to hear a new story as part of your big adventure?”

“Yep. What is it?”

“It’s a big book for big kids usually and it’ll take us all week to read it.” She smiled when Meg’s eyes went wide. “It’s ok if you don’t like it” Ashlyn started to explain. “Just tell me and we’ll switch to something else. Ok?”

Meg nodded excitedly and the keeper opened up a new copy of ‘The Little Prince’ and started to read. She took her time and showed her all the beautiful illustrations and explained who everybody was as she went along.

Ali thought her heart was going to burst. It took everything in her to hold back the tears for a minute so she could quietly get up and leave the room before completely losing it.

“No, stay” Meg said when the brunette stood up.

“I’ll be right back honey” Ali smiled at her and went across the hall into the guest room and closed the door behind her.

Whitney, holding Fred in her arms, looked at Kyle, confusion on her face.

“That’s her favorite book” he explained, nodding towards the guest room. “It means a lot to her. She’s got a line from it...”

“Oh right” the defender nodded. “Her side tattoo.”

“Yup. She probably just didn’t want to cry in front of Meg and freak her out.”

Ali emerged from the guest room, her eyes still a little pink, and stood in the hall with them.

“You ok sis?”

“Yeah, she just surprised me. God I love her.”

They quickly decided to let Fred down and see what he would do. If Persey was allowed on the bed then it didn’t seem fair to keep Fred from enjoying the same privilege. Ali walked back into the room and both Ashlyn and Meg smiled up at her as she sat at the foot of the bed again. Fred jumped up and settled between Ali’s thigh and Meg’s feet, curling up tight. The brunette patted Ashlyn’s foot and listened to her favorite person reading her favorite book. Just when she thought her wedding weekend couldn’t possibly get any better, Ashlyn had given her one of the sweetest moments of them all.


	26. Meet the Godparents

The week with Meg really had gone well. Ashlyn made breakfast every morning and they all ate together before she and Whitney went to training. Meg spent the mornings at home with Ali and the dogs, playing in the yard or watching a Disney movie in the living room. Tuesday morning they went and explored the whole extra lot and had a special adventure just the two of them. The dogs watched and whined from the backyard, stuck inside the fence. The adventure culminated with a harrowing climb up the huge rock that separated the backyard and the extra lot. They both suffered some scrapes and skinned knees but they made the exhilarating feeling they got from sitting at the very top even better.

“What happened to you?” Ashlyn asked that night as they were getting ready for bed. She held her wife’s hands and turned them over to reveal two very scraped up palms.

“Oh, you know, adventuring and stuff” the brunette replied with a shrug and a smirk.

The keeper got out the first aid kit and cleaned Ali’s wounds with her usual tenderness. As she dabbed at the antiseptic-covered cuts with a gauze pad Ashlyn wondered, for the hundredth time, how it was possible for the brunette to become even more attractive to her. She was smart as a whip, funny, kind, hot as hell, feisty as fuck and now, apparently, great with other people’s kids and it made her even sexier in Ashlyn’s eyes.

On Wednesday Ashlyn and Whitney took Meg with them to training and then spent the rest of the day in the city doing touristy things. Several of the girls came with them, especially the ones that were still new to the area. Rose Lavelle, they had already decided, was nothing more than a large child herself so she and Meg had a great time. Morgan Andrews, one of the other highly touted and very talented rookies, was from New Hampshire and had grown up visiting Boston all her life. She wasn’t as good a tour guide as Ali would have been, but she sufficed. The only problem had been the cursing. Whitney finally had to start handing out windsprints as punishment whenever one of the girls swore in front of Meg. The punishment would be carried out the next day before training. Ashlyn wanted to give Ali a whole day to herself so she could get caught up with work. The brunette had had Meg all day Tuesday, well, from 8:30am to 3:30pm anyway, and would have her again all day Thursday so the keeper did everything she could to help her wife on Wednesday. 

And Meg had ushered in a big change at the house that very first night. Persey and Fred were allowed to sleep with her all week. They hopped into bed with her at 8pm and then went outside with Ali and Ashlyn at 11pm and then resumed their places with the little one for the rest of the night. Both women were paranoid that the dogs would somehow destroy something in Meg’s room, or, worst of all, disturb or disrupt her sleep. The first night they had checked several times but nothing ever seemed amiss. Finally Ali had said that the worst that would happen was that one of the dogs would have an accident in the room. Ashlyn fixed that by putting the old baby monitor back in Meg’s room. That way they could hear if one of the dogs whined to get out or if Meg was in any distress. Problem solved. At least until Meg left and the dogs went back to sleeping in their crates. Ali couldn’t help but remember back to earlier in the year when they were having such a problem figuring out what to do with the puppies at night. Ashlyn had sounded pretty odd when she talked about the dogs always sleeping with the kids and explaining how that was the answer. The brunette hadn’t really understood it but she was happy because, from that moment on, the keeper wasn’t bothered by putting the puppies downstairs for the night so they could have uninterrupted sex if they wanted. But now, with Meg to bring Ashlyn’s future vision into clearer focus for her, Ali understood. 

Before they knew it, Friday was upon them and the three of them were on a plane to DC. Hannah met them at the airport and they all went back to her apartment to get Meg settled in. Ashlyn and Hannah had planned the exchange on purpose so it wasn’t hurried or traumatic for the little one. Their flight landed in the early afternoon and Ashlyn and Ali’s connecting flight to Melbourne, FL wasn’t until that evening so they had the time. They rode back in a big town car that Dev had arranged and Meg didn’t stop talking once. She started at the beginning and then jumped all over the week to different days and even different parts of different days as she excitedly told her mother all about her big adventure. She had already told Hannah about each of her days during their nightly phone calls or facetimes but seeing her in person apparently required the entire re-telling of each and every event. When they got to the apartment they all sat in the living room as Meg kept talking, stopping every once in a while to show Ashlyn and Ali a new toy or favorite stuffed animal. When she was officially all done with her big adventure she pulled Ali by the hand into her bedroom.

“You haven’t seen my room yet!”

“Well they seem to be getting along famously” Hannah commented with a genuine smile and a chuckle as Meg slammed her door behind them.

“Yep. Thick as thieves” Ashlyn grinned. “Thank God.” She rolled her eyes. “Can you imagine?”

They both shook their heads and laughed at the idea of how horribly the week would have gone if Meg didn’t like Ali.

“No, there’s a stillness or a steadiness to her that kids will always gravitate to” Hannah observed about the brunette, surprising the keeper with her accurate description of her wife. “She might not be the first one they want to run and clown around with but she’ll be the one they go to when they’re hurt or scared.”

//

It was almost 9pm when Ashlyn pulled their rental car into Chris’ driveway. She had texted him as soon as they had landed to see if it was too late to meet baby John. Ali thought they should wait until the morning so Beth could be ready for them, if she wanted to. But Ashlyn didn’t want to wait a single extra minute if she didn’t have to. She’d been waiting 33 days to meet him and she wasn’t going to wait one more.

“There he is” she breathed out when Chris walked into the living room with his son tucked into his arms.

“Beth just fed him, you have perfect timing” he grinned. “Who wants to burp him?”

Ashlyn shot up out of her seat like a rocket and Ali giggled at her wife’s boundless enthusiasm.

“I never thought you’d be one to line up so somebody else could probably puke all over you” Chris chuckled as he tossed a burp cloth over his sister’s shoulder and thoughtfully moved her long hair out of the way. “Here you go Auntie. Meet your nephew and godson, John Francis.”

The baby’s face was scrunched up because he needed to burp so the keeper didn’t waste time on pleasantries. She took him and held him against her chest so his head was on her shoulder. She patted him firmly and repeatedly on the back to try and encourage a burp. Ali stood next to them admiring his face even in its’ current state of upset.

“Hi little man” she cooed as Ashlyn kept patting.

“A little harder sis” Chris suggested. “He’s used to these meatballs whacking the burps out of him” he waved around his own huge hands.

Baby John was just starting to squawk and about to wail when he finally got out a huge burp. Everyone praised him and Chris was almost finished telling Ashlyn how lucky she was that he hadn’t thrown up all down her back when he burped again and threw up all down the keeper’s back.

“That’s ok baby boy” Ashlyn said in a sing-song voice. “You did a good job buddy, yes you did.”

She stood still while Ali and Chris tried to wipe the vomit, which was mostly milk, off of the blonde’s denim shirt. A couple of spots had landed down where the shirt covered her butt.

“Those are all you Al” Chris teased as he focused his attention back towards his sister’s back.

“Lucky me” Ali chuckled back, rolling her eyes, but, truthfully, she was always happy to touch her wife’s ass.

“Seriously honey? You can’t keep your hands off my ass even in front of our new baby godson?” the blonde quipped.

“That’s right Ash, baby spit up is my new turn-on, deal with it.” She smacked her keeper’s butt when she was done cleaning the puke off of it.

“That’s not right is it baby boy?” Ashlyn cooed at her nephew as she held him in her arms. He was much happier now that the pressure inside his belly had been released. “It’s just not right at all.” The baby giggled at the blonde’s big smiling face. “We’ll have to get her some help for that, won’t we?” 

They sat down and admired the beautiful baby boy for several minutes, keeping their voices low in case Beth was able to fall back to sleep after feeding him. Baby John spit up again and Ashlyn quickly held him more upright so he wouldn’t choke. It wasn’t as much this time and he still seemed pretty happy.

“He spits up a lot” Chris explained as he brought in a fresh set of pajamas and a clean diaper and baby wipes. “It hasn’t affected his weight gain and he doesn’t seem to be in pain when it happens so they don’t think it’s GERD.” 

The women watched in amazement as Chris and his huge hands somehow managed to get his son out of the one-piece pajamas without needing any help. He laid his boy down and kissed his belly, making the baby giggle. Chris undid the diaper and held it over baby John’s penis so that when he squirted, his urine hit the diaper instead of his father.

“Very important trick you just did there Bubba” Ashlyn chuckled. “I learned that one the hard way.”

“Me too sis” the big man laughed softly and winked up at the blonde.

“What’s GERD?” Ali asked after chuckling at the diaper trick.

“It’s baby reflux, basically” he explained. “But this guy here, so far anyway, is what they call a ‘happy spitter’.”

“Hi guys” Beth said softly as she came into the room, wrapped up in her robe and looking exhausted. “It’s so good to see you.”

Ashlyn and Ali both got up and greeted her, apologizing for coming by at such a late hour.

“Don’t be silly, I’m glad you’re here. I’m sorry I’m such a mess, but it’s wonderful to see you.”

“Ok, well I need to hold him and then we’ll go and let you all get some sleep” Ali said as she picked the freshly changed baby up in her arms. “Don’t be afraid to let me help with anything I can this weekend” the brunette offered. 

“Yeah, me too, I’m off all day tomorrow. I just have to be at the team hotel by bed check at 10pm” Ashlyn chimed in. “You should let us help out tomorrow so you can rest up or relax or go out or whatever.”

Chris looked at his exhausted wife and grinned. 

When they finally climbed the stairs to Ashlyn’s bedroom at Gram’s house it was just after 11pm.

“Bashy? Is that you?” Gram’s voice came from her bedroom at the front of the house. Her voice sounded tired and old and thin.

“Hi Gram” Ashlyn called out from the top of the stairs.

“Come see me” the old woman said and then coughed several times.

“Hey sleepy head” the keeper said as she bent over the bed and hugged her grandmother. “I’m sorry we’re so late. We stopped to see the baby” she explained, still beaming from meeting her nephew.

“Where’s your wife?” Gram asked with a twinkle in her eye. “Oh I love saying that.”

“Hi Gram” Ali greeted her from the doorway.

“Come here child and let me see the two of you, married for a whole week this very night.”

Ali gave Gram a big hug and then stood arm in arm with her keeper, grinning like an idiot.

“Oh it just does my heart so much good to see the two of you.” She smiled and then coughed again.

“Are you feeling ok Gram?” Ashlyn asked, concerned. Gram was old but she was usually so strong and healthy. The only troubles she had really ever had were breast cancer and she had beaten it twice already. 

“I’m fine. Just tired is all.” She smiled wearily at the two beautiful young women before her. “I might sleep in a bit tomorrow morning if you don’t mind.”

“Of course not Gram” the keeper hugged her again and kissed her forehead. “You better sleep in. And I’ll make your favorite omelette for you whenever you get up. Deal?”

“Sounds good honey.”

As they climbed into Ashlyn’s old fullsize bed a half hour later, Ashlyn confessed her worry about Gram.

“I’m sure she’s ok sweetheart” Ali tried to reassure her as they snuggled up and got ready to go to sleep. “Travelling, for whatever the awesome event is, is really hard on older people. You don’t even notice it because you do it so often, but it takes a lot out of some people.”

“I hope you’re right.”

“Let’s just take great care of her this weekend. Really do everything for her, but quietly so she doesn’t shut us down” the brunette suggested with a kiss to her wife’s jaw. “Ok?”

“Done deal.”

Ali drifted off to sleep a little bit sad that her quiet, relaxing weekend had just disappeared. The image she had of she and her wife lying on the beach Saturday afternoon faded out of view. But her regret only lasted a minute before she smiled as she remembered how much the people in her life had just done for her to make her wedding weekend go so smoothly. The brunette would always be happy to help Ashlyn’s family, every way that she possibly could.

And help out they did. Gram slept in and enjoyed her omelette, even letting Ali clean up afterwards. After several texts between Ashlyn and Chris, baby John was delivered to Gram’s house for his godparents to watch for the day. The only way Beth and Chris had agreed was if Ali and Ashlyn promised to call them with any questions at all. Gram was happy to have the baby there too. The keeper had given her special instructions for the day.

“Gram, now listen, your job today is to sit here with this baby boy and start teaching him what he needs to know.” She grinned at her grandmother as she held her great-grandson in her arms. “You’ve got way more to teach him than all of the rest of us so you’d better get started.”

And once the newlyweds had gotten the hang of changing such tiny little diapers they were in good shape. Neither of them had much experience with newborns. They weren’t afraid, they just weren’t sure what to expect, except for spit-up. That they knew was coming.

The three women looked at each other when the doorbell rang just after 10am.

“Surprise!” Debbie Christopher yelled from the front entry when Ashlyn opened the door. “I couldn’t miss your game and if I was coming for the game I thought I’d better just drive up for today too” she explained as she hugged her daughter-in-law hello.

And then Mike Harris walked into the house an hour later, three big bags of groceries in his arms. 

“I thought I’d help out with the boy, or at least grill you girls some lunch while you do all the hard work” he smiled sheepishly when he saw Deb, afraid he might have overstepped and invited himself someplace he wasn’t needed.

“That sounds great Pop” Ashlyn said as she helped him with the bags and hugged him in the kitchen.

“We’re trying to make Gram take it easy this weekend. So far she’s letting us do things for her, but now that there are more of us here...”

“Yep, she’s gonna want to be the hostess and take care of everybody” he finished her sentence with a nod of his head. “Well, we just won’t let her. And she does look tired today, doesn’t she?”

The unscheduled family reunion was complete when Tammye showed up just before lunchtime. Ashlyn had invited her over after Mike arrived, knowing she would feel left out once she heard about the impromptu gathering. 

Ali explained the Gram plan to her mother as they went to the grocery store to shop for ingredients for the dinner they were going to cook for the Harrises. Deb’s face fell.

“Oh I shouldn’t have just surprised you. I’m sorry Alex.”

“No, don’t be silly mom. I’m so glad you’re here. That’s not why I’m telling you this” she explained with a hug as they walked into the store. “Just, if she tries to do something for anybody don’t let her. That’s all.”

“Got it.”

The day was not all peaches and cream. But anybody with a newborn knew that already. Even the very best days had some truly awful moments when your world revolved around a tiny person who couldn’t tell you what he wanted or what was bothering him. Ashlyn started to understand just what her brother had meant by ‘he spits up a lot’. And it explained why Beth had packed so many changes of clothes for him. The kid had a set of lungs on him too. He cried one time for so long that they almost considered calling Beth. Deb made one suggestion, as a last ditch effort. She had been trying to keep out of the baby advice that day. She ushered Ashlyn into the kitchen with Ali and Tammye following. Deb opened the freezer door and told Ashlyn to stand there and let the cold air hit his face. She told her to try and get him to breathe it in. To everyone’s astonishment, but Deb’s, it worked. Baby John stopped crying and looked curiously into the freezer. 

“It’s the cold air” Deb explained as everyone looked at her. “Some people say it just gets their attention and gives them a chance to stop crying. Other people say it opens their lungs up so they can breathe better. I don’t know.” She smiled at her own daughter. “All I know is that when this one would cry like that her first year I’d stand outside with her for a few minutes, just on the doorstep, and it usually did the trick.”

“You always used to say that” Ali smiled. “’Better run outside and change the air in your head’” she recited her mother’s words from childhood.

“Same theory” Deb chuckled.

It hadn’t been easy but they had done it. When Chris and Beth came to pick him up and saw everybody at the house they felt like they had just been caught playing hooky. They looked embarrassed, as if they thought everybody was judging them for taking a day off for themselves.

“You wipe those sad, guilty looks right off your faces now, you hear me?” Gram ordered as she got up from her spot on the couch for only the third or fourth time all day. She walked across the living room and hugged them both. “I hope you’ll stay for dinner. Deb and Ali are making us an authentic Italian meal.”

They did stay. And they did shed the guilt that lingered for only a few minutes. And they all enjoyed a delicious meal together, baby John even napped through most of it. When he cried after waking up, Ashlyn got up from the table to get him. She changed him and then put him on Chris’ lap, knowing the new parents had missed their baby that day. It was a great day, highs and lows and everything wonderful in between.

At 8pm Ali and Ashlyn clung to each other in the front entry of Gram’s house. They had been saying goodbye to each other for almost twenty minutes while Deb and Gram sat in the living room to give them some privacy. Everybody else had gone home after finalizing plans for getting to Ashlyn’s game the next evening. The newlyweds hadn’t been separated since the Breakers’ last away game, two weeks ago. Ashlyn had come home from Chicago and they had been together ever since. And since they had finally gotten their hands on each other immediately following the ceremony, they had been almost inseparable.

“Ugh” Ali said dejectedly as she hugged her keeper tight. “This sucks.”

“I know baby” Ashlyn tried to soothe her. “I’m sorry I’m always leaving you. I hate that part of my job so much.”

She turned her head and kissed Ali’s temple, letting her lips stay there for several seconds. 

“I really didn’t think this could get any harder, but after the wedding...”

“I know!” Ali agreed. “It’s totally harder this time, isn’t it?”

They leaned back and looked at each other, trying to be strong but both feeling pretty weak. Ashlyn gave her wife a slow, soft kiss. Ali reached up to rub the back of the keeper’s neck as they kissed.

“God I miss you already” the blonde closed her eyes and whined.

“It’s only one night babe. We can do it. It sucks, but we can do it” Ali dug deep. “And you have to get going. You don’t want to be late. I don’t want to make you late honey.”

They kissed once more and then the keeper drove the 75 miles to the team hotel in Orlando.

The Breakers lost to Orlando. It had been a close game, decided on a questionable penalty kick awarded in stoppage time by a ref who had several questionable calls over the past six or seven NWSL games. Ashlyn was furious. She, along with the rest of the team, was furious about the terrible call. Even most of the Womens Soccer journalists agreed it was a bad call and should never have been made to decide the game like that. Ashlyn was furious with her teammates for letting her down. Somehow, the keeper had managed to get a finger on the pk and deflect it so that it hit the post and bounced back into play. Ashlyn scrambled to her feet but watched helplessly as Sarah Hagen beat Christen Westphal to the ball and drilled it into the back of the net. There was no excuse for that type of play. Christen’s only job on the penalty kick was to make sure that her man didn’t get the rebound. That was it. Everybody had their mark and one job. The second year defender was crushed. Most of her teammates encouraged her and told her to shake it off. Whitney held Ashlyn’s gaze for a minute after the play and knew that the keeper was going to be tough on Westphal. She was glad, because if Ashlyn wasn’t going to be the bad guy then she would have had to do it.

“Keep your head up Westie” the captain said as they walked off the field with most of their teammates.

Ashlyn lingered. She looked all around at the fabulous new soccer stadium that had just opened that year. It was state of the art, fully funded, fully staffed, as professional as you could ever hope a stadium to be. The keeper rarely thought about her fateful decision two years ago. She knew then that staying in Boston was the right thing for her to do. And everything that had happened for her since then was only more evidence of that fact. She shook her head and cleared all those thoughts away for good. It was an amazing stadium and she would have loved to play there twelve times a season. But she was going to focus on getting to play there one more time that season, for the championship game. That’s all that mattered right now.

After the team had signed for the fans, and Ashlyn had greeted her family, they were showered and changed and on the bus back to their hotel. Ashlyn had made Abby Smith, the back-up goal keeper and Westphal’s usual bus buddy, move so she could sit next to the young defender. They were in the middle of the bus and even though Ashlyn kept her voice low and steady, everybody could hear their conversation.

“You played a helluva game tonight Westie, for about 92 minutes” the keeper began. “Unfortunately, you checked out on the pk and we ended up losing the game.” Ashlyn took a beat and let that sink in. “I’m not saying it’s your fault we lost the game. Hell, I wish I could have a couple of plays back. I know lots of us do. I kicked the ball right to Alex Morgan on that one goal kick for fuck’s sake. But we don’t get the plays back kiddo. That’s the brutal part. Whatever happens, happens.” She waited another minute. “What were you thinking about during the pk?”

“What a terrible call it was.”

“Yeah, you, me and everyone else watching probably. But that doesn’t change what your job is. You’ve gotta be ready, no matter what.”

“I understand. I’m sorry...”

“I want you to keep your head up now. This game took all of us to lose. But I want you to remember how shitty you feel right now, and how shitty you felt when she beat you to that ball because you weren’t ready. Don’t forget it. Don’t let it eat you up though. You’ve gotta control it so you can use it the next time you need it. Understand?”

“Yeah Keep.”

“Good.” Ashlyn raised her voice just the tiniest bit. “Because we’re gonna need you to get to the playoffs. And you’re gonna need that memory to help get us to the championship game Westie. Am I right?”

“Yeah Keep.” The young defender smiled at her keeper.

“What was that?” Ashlyn asked, her voice louder again.

“Yeah Keep!” Westphal shouted. 

Angela Salem was seated right behind her and patted the young defender on the head “Yeah Keep!” she yelled, echoing Westphal’s words.

Other players, one by one and sometimes in groups all started to say it until soon everyone on the bus was yelling “Yeah Keep!”

Ashlyn changed the chant to “West-ie!” to help build the young defender back up. The whole bus chanted the nickname for several minutes as Ashlyn patted her thigh and bumped her shoulder. She hoped everybody had learned a valuable lesson that night. She had plans to get back to Orlando and win the championship and she would need every woman on that bus to help her make it happen.


	27. Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey gang, so sorry about yesterday. My laptop died on me Thursday, right after I posted Chapter 26. So I got a new one yesterday (ouch) and when I finally got it home last night it wouldn't boot up. Just got a new, new one and got it up and running this afternoon. So, lucky y'all, you get two chapters tonight.
> 
> :)

Life shifted back into high gear for the newlyweds after that Labor Day weekend trip to Orlando. Ali worked harder than ever as she tried to keep up with her busy season selling windows as well as the Knight-Harris workload. There was a certain perverse freedom in letting some of the contractors who called her at the last second dangle. She didn’t care if they called her again or not so she didn’t have to drop everything and cater to their urgent quote requests anymore. She still did her best, but when the guy told her he needed it the next day and she told him she couldn’t possibly get it for him sooner than three days and he threatened her with going to a different window company, she very politely told him to do what he had to do. If she was really a saint she would have handed that lead and quote request off to one of her colleagues. But she was not a saint. She also didn’t want to deal with her company knowing that she was leaving yet. She wanted to get through September and October before she told them.

“But why?” Ashlyn asked her one September evening while they were talking about when to start the Advanced level puppy training class. “Why not just tell them you’re leaving? What’s the downside? You don’t care if they take customers away from you anymore, right?”

Sometimes the keeper could be so astute that it surprised the brunette. Ali was well aware that the blonde was smarter than she let on to the rest of the world. 

“Well, I guess I’m not sure.” Ali sat back against the back of the couch and looked towards Whitney, as if the defender could answer the question for her. “The downside is if they get mad at me they can withhold my commission or put conditions on my receiving it.”

“Would they do that?” Whitney asked, her eyes wide.

“Sure. I’ve seen it happen lots of times when reps leave. If they don’t pay the reps their commission the company keeps that money. They don’t go out of their way to hurt you, but if you piss them off they can make your life hell on your way out.”

“Yeah, but will they do that to you?” Ashlyn asked, emphasizing the ‘you’.

Ali thought about it for a couple of minutes, running all sorts of scenarios through her mind before answering.

“No, I don’t think so. I’ve always been a team player and they know that. And if my idiot boss tried to screw me out of something I would have no problem going right to Steven Dudley to get it straightened out.”

“I just think it might be less stressful for you to tell them now. I don’t care about them at all” Ashlyn made a sour face, remembering how the company had screwed Ali over the last couple of years. “But I care very much about your stress level Al.”

And that’s how Ali Krieger came to be sitting in Steven Dudley’s office on a Friday afternoon in the middle of September. She had told her boss that she was leaving at the end of the year. She had submitted her letter of resignation the next day. And then Ali had been summoned to the main office by the owner of her company. Ali hugged him hello and nodded at the new human resource manager sitting in one of the leather chairs across from Steven’s desk. There were so many new people that they had finally hired a dedicated human resource manager for the first time in the company’s history. The new HR guy had instituted a whole bunch of new rules and policies that were mostly just annoying. Everyone understood that they were to protect ‘the company’ from any number of things, like being sued.

“Let’s sit over here instead” Steven said warmly and ushered Ali over to the leather couch at the other end of his office. The human resource manager seemed thrown by the change of plan and Ali smiled to herself at the young man’s discomfort.

They made idle chit chat for several minutes, Steven raving about how beautiful the wedding had been and how thrilled he was with the season the Breakers were having. He joked that the team turned their fortunes around on the pitch as soon as he became a fulltime sponsor of the team.

Fuck. Ali hadn’t even considered the ramifications of her quitting on the Breakers sponsorship deal with her soon to be ex-boss. Her mind raced.

“So, I know you’re looking to make a change and I just wanted to talk with you about it and see what I could do to help. You’re a valuable member of our team Ali and I’d hate to lose you” he began sincerely.

Ali explained that she was taking the next year off to get her MBA in an accelerated program at Northeastern University and there was no way she could do her job at the same time. Steven offered to pay for half of her MBA program if she stayed. 

“Steven, that’s so generous of you, but I can’t accept your offer” she replied and paused before continuing. “It just wouldn’t be fair to you. I won’t be coming back.” She paused again as both Steven and the HR guy stared at her. “I’m going to be running the Knight-Harris company for Hilary and Ashlyn and I...”

“Well good for you” Steven interrupted her loudly. He leaned forward from his seat kitty-corner from her and patted her arm a few times. “That’s wonderful news. I’m really proud of you.” The smile on his face and the genuine sound of his voice surprised the brunette for a minute. “You’re going to do a tremendous job.”

“Thank you Steven, I appreciate the kind words.” She couldn’t help but ask the question that was eating away at her. “You’re not upset with me?”

“Nonsense, I couldn’t be happier for you Ali.” He took a minute and she could have sworn he was trying to steady his emotions. “Nothing makes me happier than when one of my own, and I consider most of you ‘old timers’ my own, does something to better themselves. And, well, I think you’ll do great things for both Hilary and your wife. They’ll be lucky to have you at the helm.”

Ali was shocked and surprisingly touched by Steven’s sentiments. They talked about the logistics of her leaving and the HR guy handled most of that. Steven asked Ali when she wanted to leave and if she wanted to go cold turkey or keep her five best customers for six more months. Ali had heard about the company doing that for a couple of reps over the years, but it was definitely not the norm. The HR guy’s neck almost snapped when he whipped it around to look at Steven after that offer.

“Honestly?” Ali asked and then proceeded after Steven nodded at her. “I’d like to do whatever is best for you.” She looked directly at Steven and was surprised again at how much she actually meant the words she was saying. “Leaving is a big risk for me so it doesn’t really matter if I leave tomorrow or in March. It’s still a leap of faith. But I believe in my new company and I can see and feel a change in the fanbase around the NWSL league this year. It’s really starting to grow and if we can position ourselves correctly, and quickly, I know the company will grow and flourish.”

Steven had another big smile on his face. He made her a deal that she was pretty sure was unheard of. But she had heard, over the years, about him making odd arrangements every once in a while for employees that he really liked. The HR guy scribbled as fast as he could as Steven spoke.

“He did what?!” Ashlyn exclaimed as Ali told the story to she and Whitney that evening as they ate dinner together.

“I’ll get a salary for the last four months of the year, starting two weeks ago, and handle all my current, shipped jobs until then too” the brunette explained. “I turn over all my open quotes now and any new leads that come in between now and the end of the year. That’s what the salary is for. He’s going to take the average of what I earned in commission for each month over the last three years, and that’ll be my salary for each month.” She took a drink of water. “I have to babysit a couple of big projects that are almost ready to go out to bid, but that’s it.” She shrugged her shoulders and grinned. “He said he’d always admired my work ethic and dedication and my sales skill, but he really appreciated my honesty and integrity with this transition.” She still couldn’t believe the outcome of the meeting, even as she was re-telling it. “He made sure to tell me that his sponsorship for the Breakers wouldn’t be impacted in any way. He’s very happy with the way that’s going for him so far and sees no reason to change it for next season. In fact, he’s thinking about a sponsorship for Hilary and the Pride too. He likes the idea of a winter sponsorship and a summer sponsorship.”

Ashlyn and Whitney looked at her with their mouths open.

“Oh, and he says good luck in Houston on Sunday.”

//

The Breakers played their last four games of the season like a team possessed. Their next game was at home, Saturday, against FC Kansas City, who was trying to beat the Courage for the fourth and final playoff spot. The Breakers beat them soundly and were in control of the game from start to finish. Four days later they travelled to Sky Blue FC and played to a draw, coming from behind late in the second half to secure the point. Then, in some truly awful scheduling, they had to turn right around and travel to Houston for their next game on Sunday, four days later. The coaches were worried about the grueling schedule not allowing their players enough time to heal after tough matches. But the team seemed to thrive on the battles. They spent a ton of time together over those eight days and, to some, it felt a little like training camp again. It somehow made the team even more tightknit than they already had been. 

They beat the Dash in another close game. Rookie striker Morgan Andrews got the game-winner when she put in a rebound off of a rocket shot from Tasha Dowie. Lydia Williams, the Dash keeper, did everything right but the shot was so damned hard that she couldn’t contain it. And the goal had been the culmination of some of the best ball possession and passing that the league had seen all season long. Eight different players had touched the ball and Kristie Mewis had received a sweet one-touch pass from Rose Lavelle, and then served in a perfect cross to Dowie. It was beautiful soccer. 

They flew home and had a light week of training before their final game of the regular season. The Orlando Pride were coming up to play in Boston and Ashlyn couldn’t wait to get revenge for that bitter, and controversial, loss that had started the month. The Breakers were desperate for points on the table too. They were in third place, one point behind Chicago who also had one game remaining to play. The benefit of second place was that you got to host the playoff game instead of travelling for it. The Breakers had been pretty good both at home and on the road, but everybody wanted a home playoff game. The thought of being able to give their loyal and faithful fans a home playoff game was something both Whitney and the head coach talked about in their pre-game spiels. Like the Breakers needed any extra motivation to smoke the Pride after their last game in Orlando. 

When the dust had settled, the Breakers had won 4-1. Christen Westphal had played, perhaps, her best game as a pro. The memory of her disastrous mistake from the last Pride game seemed to spur her on even more. She had the unenviable task of defending against Jasmine Spencer, one of the fastest and most unrelenting strikers in the league. But Westphal held her own and even managed to dispossess Spencer late in the game when the Pride had numbers and had caught the Breakers slow to get back on defense. Ashlyn was screaming instructions to her backline, well aware of Alex Morgan streaking down the middle of the field with Kristen Edmonds trailing her ready to mop up any miscues. Spencer held the ball two seconds too long and Westphal poked it out of bounds. If she had gotten the ball to the middle of the field it would have been a sure-fire goal. Not even Ashlyn Harris could have stopped all the possible shots from the two open Pride players. 

It had been a tremendous game. It was just the kind of game you wanted to have heading into the do-or-die playoffs. The only bad news was that there had been a couple of injuries that looked serious for the Breakers. Megan Oyster had been in a serious collision and had suffered a concussion. And rookie Morgan Andrews had been gang tackled and everybody’s legs had been twisted together. Andrews had to be stretchered off the field. They had a week before the first playoff game and everybody was hopeful that they could get the two starters back, but deep down knew that it wouldn’t happen.

By the end of that weekend’s games Chicago had won and locked up second place and the home playoff game. Portland had already secured the Shield for having the most points in the table and they would be hosting the other playoff game the following weekend. And North Carolina had managed to hold off FC Kansas City for the fourth and final playoff spot. The final table for 2017 looked like this (W-L-D):

Portland Thorns 18-3-3 57 points  
Chicago Red Stars 15-5-4 49 points  
Boston Breakers 15-6-3 48 points  
NC Courage 14-6-4 46 points

That meant NC travelled to Portland and Boston travelled to Chicago for the two playoff games on October 1st. Lifetime would be airing both games. The talk amongst all the women’s soccer journalists was the remarkable turnaround for the Breakers. All three of the other teams had made the playoffs last season but Boston finishing third overall was a huge surprise to everybody but the Breakers and their fans. They had a week to rest up, recover and get ready for the biggest game of their professional lives.

//

Things were busy at Knight-Harris too. Thankfully, ‘Sporting Chic’ was up and running and Kristie, Sam and Stephanie were taking good care of it themselves. Ali expected the group to form their own company in the next year or two but she was happy to give them a platform that they could springboard from while they were just starting up. She told Jared that Sporting Chic business was always top priority, explaining her desire to take care of the houseguests before family.

And what a godsend Jared had turned out to be. Ali would owe Kyle forever for finding them that amazing young man. Jared graduated in June and was now a full-fledged, full-time employee. They paid him a big boy salary, nothing too crazy because they didn’t have a lot of money yet, and gave him a title. ‘Director of Media’. Hilary, Ashlyn and Ali sat him down at the beginning of September and told him how much they loved his work and how much they wanted him to stay on the team. They were frank about how little they would be able to pay him but they were also honest about how quickly his pay could increase once the company grew and became more lucrative. He was a smart kid and he understood how it worked. They offered to make him a partial shareholder so once the company did start earning profits he could benefit that way. He agreed and they had a contract drawn up that they all signed and Knight-Harris kept rolling along with their wonderkid working as Ali’s right hand man.

They worked all of that out just in the nick of time. The Nike ads with Hilary and Ashlyn had been running all summer long. TV spots, print ads, billboards, you name it. It was one of the sports giant’s most successful campaigns ever. And, as planned, mid-way through September they issued a ‘behind the scenes’ or ‘making of’ video of their whole weekend shoot. That triggered even more publicity for the two women. When you paired that with the NWSL playoffs it made for a very busy and popular Ashlyn Harris. With her sales job far in the background, Ali was able to dedicate most of her time to Knight-Harris. She was handling the large volume of media requests, merchandise sales, publicity for the company as a whole as well as each of the two namesakes, and also trying to finish establishing the foundation of the business. They needed some infrastructure so they could actually have an employee handbook to give to the next employee they hired. And when she wasn’t doing all of that, she was reaching out to other media outlets and companies to promote Ashlyn. 

So far, the Nike contract was the biggest of Ashlyn’s entire career. The Suburu deal was right behind it, and she got all the free Suburus she could drive. It wasn’t nearly as sexy and it didn’t offer quite the future that the Nike deal did, but it was sweet and it was steady. Suburu loved Ashlyn. She was a small town girl success story. She had come from nothing and achieved some success in the NWSL. She was a good person who said and did the right things in real life and on social media. She was attractive, which, let’s face it, mattered more than anybody with a soul thought it should. And she was edgier than most of Suburu’s competitor’s spokespeople. She had been a good buy for the company and they locked her into a multi-year deal before some other car company could. And Betty Sue’s was clamoring to book time with the athletes to shoot a couple more commercials. Both Hilary and Ashlyn had promised to always make time for Betty Sue’s because that’s where it had all started. It killed the businesswoman in Ali, because the money was so low, but she understood and admired them for it.

The newest sponsorship that Ali had gotten for Ashlyn was with a local supermarket chain. It was one of the biggest companies in the country which had been important for the brunette, and the main reason she had targeted a grocery store in the first place. She wanted to expand her wife’s presence across the country. The Northeast knew and loved Ashlyn but that was about it. There were some spots in North Carolina from her college days and, of course, near Orlando where she drew big crowds and had lots of requests for appearances and merchandise. Ali wanted that to happen all over the country. The difference between ‘local’ and ‘national’ was everything when it came to marketing and sales.

And Ali had her eye on the national market for sure. She thought it might be a pipe dream at first, but she had learned that almost anything was possible with Ashlyn Harris. The woman had the most amazing luck or karma she had ever encountered. Back in June the brunette had submitted Ashlyn’s marathon story with Marjorie to the Ellen show. The producers were preparing an ongoing segment, a series of shows, dedicated to ‘women helping women’ for the new Fall season. Ali had received permission from Nike to use their footage, including some of the behind the scenes bits that hadn’t yet been released at the time. The producers had replied with the standard acknowledgement but nothing more. The brunette knew the show probably received thousands of submissions so she tried not to get down on the lack of enthusiasm for Ashlyn’s piece. It wasn’t until August that the producers reached out to say they were very interested in doing a segment on Ashlyn and Marjorie. After some negotiating, Ali convinced them to make the story about Hilary and the younger woman she had helped as well. It tied in nicely with the Nike campaign, and honestly, it would have been awkward for Ali to leave the hockey star out. If they had insisted on only Ashlyn of course that’s how it would have been. But the brunette was very happy it could be both Knight and Harris. There were details to iron out but the tentative date for the athletes to tape the show was early November. 

Finally, Ali’s goal before the end of 2017 was to hire and employ a full-time sports agent. She wanted somebody who already knew the business and had some connections. She knew she couldn’t get anybody too big because they didn’t have much to offer them yet. But she thought she could persuade somebody smaller to take a chance on Knight-Harris. Ashlyn’s agent Greg had been her first choice. He was definitely interested but still a little hesitant. Hilary’s agent was not interested. He was actually ticked off about Knight-Harris’ very existence. But Whitney Engen’s agent was becoming Ali’s top candidate. Jennifer was very good but very small-time. She had come up through the ranks of one of the bigger firms in the DC area. She was originally from North Carolina and had gone to UNC around the same time as Ashlyn and Whitney. Jennifer had run up against a bit of a good ol’ boys situation at the big firm and had branched out on her own a couple of years ago. She had a handful of athletes, mostly female, and only one of them was a big name. Tobin Heath from the USWNT. 

“I’m just saying it wouldn’t hurt, that’s all” Ali clarified her request again.

“I don’t like it Al” Ashlyn shook her head as she continued her cooldown in the basement gym.

“I know you don’t honey” Ali squatted down next to her wife who was lying on the floor and stretching. “But it’s called networking and if we want the company to be taken seriously we need to have a sports agent on staff. At least one. Someone besides me who just became an agent a month ago.” She sat on her butt, toweled the sweat off of her face, and frowned at the blonde. “I’ll leave you out of it completely, I’ll be the bad guy if she doesn’t like it...”

“Oh geez, what the hell did I walk into this time?” Whitney hesitated as she walked into the gym one Saturday morning.

“Oh nothing” Ali grumbled and rolled her eyes before shaking her head at the defender. “Ash won’t let me talk to your agent.”

“What? Why not? I think she’d do awesome and she’d have a lot more clients too.” Whitney looked questioningly at her best friend and stood with her hands on her hips. “What’s the problem now?”

Ashlyn let out a frustrated sigh and sat up. “I don’t like people to feel pressured or obligated to do things because of me. You both know that.”

“Ash, it’s not really about you” Whitney spoke carefully. “I get why you didn’t sign with her, you felt like she was doing you a favor or something. But now you’re in a different place in your career.” She hesitated, trying to choose the right words. “It’s more like you’re doing her a favor now.”

“How do you figure that?” Ashlyn shot back at her, frustration evident in her voice.

“If Jennifer joins the company you know damn well that every single player on the Breakers team will sign with her. And probably most, if not all, of the Pride players too.” The defender started doing her pre-work out stretches. “She would triple her client base almost immediately. How can you not see the upside of that for her?”

“What if her current clients don’t like it? What if she loses somebody important?” 

“Ashlyn” Ali spoke softly, knowing what her wife’s real fear was. “Do you honestly think Tobin would drop her if she signed with us?”

The brunette had always been impressed and a little amazed by how close the UNC Tarheels were. Even eight years after graduation Ashlyn was still very close to the girls she had won three NCAA championships with. The couple dozen of them that were still playing in the NWSL were often guests at the big old house when their team came to Boston to play the Breakers. Ali would never forget, as long as she lived, the first time she ran into Tobin Heath in the mudroom. She was barefoot with a soccer ball at her feet. She had been doing the loop around the first floor, the same loop that little Meg loved to run with the puppies close behind her. It was Monday, May 2nd last year and the Thorns had beaten the Breakers 1-0 the night before. Three of the Thorns, Tobin Heath, Meghan Klingenberg and Allie Long, had been UNC teammates of Ashlyn and Whitney’s and were still very good friends. They had slept at the big old house Sunday night and were spending the day catching up and relaxing for their recovery day. Ali had literally walked right into the midfielder as she hurried to get to the first floor bathroom, her bladder full after a long day on the road. Tobin and the soccer ball had entered the mudroom from the kitchen at the same time and crashed into the brunette. They had been introduced at the bar after the game but Ali had given the Tarheels their privacy and spent more time with the rest of the team that night. Then she had gone back to her own house in Stoneham for the same reason. Tobin was exactly how you would expect her to be, except more talkative in private. She was the most laid back person Ali had ever met. She made Ashlyn look like a tightly wound worry-wort in comparison. 

“Wait, is that what you’re afraid of?” Whitney asked, her eyes wide.

Ashlyn looked up sheepishly at her and groaned. “Well it sounds dumb when you say it like that and both look at me that way” she whined.

“Seriously Ash, Tobes couldn’t care less which company Jen works for. You know none of that matters to her. She signed with Jen out of Tarheel love and loyalty and none of that’s going to change when Jen starts working for Knight-Harris.” The defender waited a minute before continuing. “You know you’re being silly and stubborn, right? I mean, I’m happy to point it out...”

“Yeah yeah, whatever” the keeper said but couldn’t help the small grin that was starting to form on her face.

“Ok, so I can call her?” Ali asked hopefully.

“I think we should invite her up for a visit” Whitney said. “We can all talk to her together. Ok?” The question was directed at Ashlyn.

“Fine. Set it up Whit.”

//

Cassius Cruz Dwyer was born, a week early, on September 19, 2017. Sydney had been on strict rest for a little over a week and was hating every second of it. She was due on the 27th and couldn’t imagine staying in bed for all that time. Then that Monday night her baby boy had decided to save her from all of that dread. By the time he was born Tuesday morning, Sydney had endured almost twelve hours of labor. The result was a beautiful, healthy baby boy. Ali and Ashlyn sat in the hospital waiting room with Sydney’s mom Sandi all through the night, waiting to meet their godson. Ashlyn had just flown in that afternoon from her away game in Houston and she was exhausted. Ali begged her to at least go to Sydney’s house and crash on the couch for a few hours but the blonde wouldn’t leave. It was about 4am and Sandi was asleep on a row of chairs on the other side of the waiting room. Ali sat slouched down in her seat with her keeper’s head in her lap. Ashlyn was stretched out on her back across the rest of the seats in their row. The brunette had her left hand resting on Ashlyn’s chest and her right hand softly massaging her head. Ashlyn opened her eyes, looked up at her wife’s tired face and spoke softly in the quiet room.

“I can’t believe Syd and Dom are going to have a baby now.” She shook her head and a small smile appeared on her lips. “It’s really happening, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, it really is” Ali replied, a little distracted.

Ashlyn pursed her lips, still watching her favorite face. Ali was chewing her bottom lip and staring off, eyes worried.

“You wish you were in there with her, huh?” Ashlyn said softly and moved her hand up to cover Ali’s on her chest. She interlocked their fingers and felt the brunette squeeze her hand in reply. “She knows you’re here. She knows you’d do anything in the world to help her if you could.”

“I know” Ali answered, her bottom lip quivering slightly.

“Are you scared about the actual birth” Ashlyn whispered, not wanting Sandi to hear what Ali might reply. 

“Yeah, I guess I am” the brunette whispered back. “I mean, I know women do this every day. This incredible miracle of giving birth.” She took a breath and blew it out with a heavy sigh. “But you never really know. There could be a complication or something.” Ali felt the keeper squeeze her hand. “She’s had such an awful pregnancy. She’s been miserable and uncomfortable for almost five months and it just doesn’t seem fair.” 

“She’s earned an easier birth than this one, huh?” Ashlyn continued for her.

“She sure as hell has.” Ali gritted her teeth, mad at the universe for torturing her best friend. “And she’s scared Ash, she told me how scared she is of the delivery.”

“She’s right where she should be though sweetheart” Ashlyn tried to sooth her wife’s frayed nerves. “And Dom’s in there with her, right by her side. He’ll take good care of her.”

“I know, but that doesn’t help right now. This fucking waiting is killing me.”

“Well let’s talk about something that will take our minds off of the waiting, ok?” the blonde suggested and pulled Ali’s hand to her lips and kissed it.

“Like what? I don’t want to talk about work stuff right now...”

“Nah” Ashlyn kissed her knuckles again and moved their hands back down to her chest. “I’ve got something really important I want to talk about with you.” She paused for a full agonizing minute. “What are we going to name our kids?” she asked with a twinkle in her tired hazel eyes.

Ali grinned, in spite of her stress and anxiety. Ashlyn had done it again. She could always find a way to take her mind off of whatever was causing her trouble. If not permanently, then at least for a little while. 

“I love you” the brunette professed.

“Well I hope so, we’re going to be having babies together so that seems like a bare minimum type of requirement...”

Ali took her right hand and playfully covered her wife’s mouth with it, giggling as she did so. Ashlyn licked it and then chuckled as the brunette made a face and wiped her hand off on the keeper’s forehead.

“I think we’re going to have a girl first” the blonde stated, fairly definitively. “There are so many boy babies around that fate will give us the first girl in our group of friends.”

“I hadn’t thought about that, but you’re right. Noah and John and Syd knows she’s having a boy.” Ali thought for a minute. “It’s a good thing we learned the pee-pee trick sooner rather than later.”

“Girls are so much more civilized” Ashlyn said with a terrible British accent.

Ali giggled at her and tried to think about having a baby girl. “So what would you name our baby girl?” she asked the keeper.

“What about family names? Do you want to do something like that or pick something brand new?”

“Umm, either or. I like both” Ali replied, actually thinking about her answer and considering the options.

“Well in my family we’ve got Linda Marie, that’s Gram, by the way. Then Tammye Elizabeth and my dad’s sister Marie Christine. At least I think Aunt Marie’s middle name is Christine. I could be making that up.”

“Your mom’s middle name is Elizabeth? That’s Grandma Lilian’s middle name too.” Ali thought about the name some more. “It’s got lots of possibilities for nicknames. Hey, is Beth short for Elizabeth?”

“Sure, it can be” Ashlyn answered the surprisingly simple question.

“No, goofball, your sister-in-law Beth, is her name short for Elizabeth?” the brunette squeezed her wife’s hand and chuckled.

“Oh, thank God. I thought you were losing brain cells or something for a minute” Ashlyn replied with a comical, relieved roll of her eyes. “No, Beth is short for Bethany.”

“I like Elizabeth” Ali said slowly, mulling it over in her head. “It’s on the list.” She reached down and pulled a pad of paper and a pen out of her purse and jotted the name down. “What else from your side of the family?”

“My cousin’s name is Carlin Marie and that’s it for the Harrises.”

“Where did Carlin come from?” the brunette scrunched her face up as she tried to imagine how the unusual name had been chosen.

“My aunt just always liked the way it sounded. No big story there.” She smiled as she watched her wife’s face relax again. “And on my mom’s side we’ve got Lilian Elizabeth, Grandma Lilian as you correctly identified it. Her mom was...Victoria Lilian. I always want to say Veronica for some reason, but it’s Victoria. Grandpa John’s mom was also Elizabeth, I think. That’s a lot of Elizabeths. It’s like a theme or something.”

“What was her middle name?”

Ashlyn closed her eyes and tried to remember the page from her grandmother’s bible. “Sarah.”

“Well, we’re not naming our daughter Sarah” Ali chuckled. “New rule right there. No exes.”

“Is that a hard rule?”

“Yes, why?” Ali looked down at her wife and frowned.

“Well...” Ashlyn blushed a tiny bit and her face changed six different times as she avoided eye contact with her wife.

“Oh my God, are you about to tell me that you’ve got so many exes that I might regret the no exes rule?” the brunette tried to pretend to be upset but she just couldn’t. She was so happy and relieved to be talking about baby names with her wife that nothing could bother her at that moment. And why should she judge Ashlyn for having more ex-girlfriends? Ashlyn didn’t judge her for living like a nun and having very few girlfriends. “Let’s just stick to the rule and if you’ve got a meaningful ex with the name that I love for our daughter then maybe I’ll reconsider” Ali grinned down at the blonde. “But you have to promise to be honest and tell me.”

Ashlyn smiled and nodded.

“Well I think cousin Jeremiah up in New Hampshire, his mom and grandmother both had Elizabeth in their names. But one of them was a Mariah too.”

“Mariah huh?”

“Yeah, once I got past Mariah Carey I started kind of liking it” Ashlyn explained. “It was popular back in the day and I think it had something to do with the sea.”

“Ok that might make the list. We’ll have to look it up. I may not be able to get past the Mariah Carey thing though.”

“And that’s it for girls’ names from my side” Ashlyn finished with a nod.

“Except for the most beautiful name in your whole family” Ali corrected sweetly. “Ashlyn Michelle.”

“Aww, you love me” the blonde grinned again and her dimple popped out, despite her exhaustion. “Now what about your family’s girl names?”

They spent almost two hours talking about baby names before finally falling asleep in those uncomfortable seats. They had switched positions so Ali was lying on her side with her head in the keeper’s lap. Ashlyn had dragged another row of chairs over and propped her feet up on them so she could be partially reclined too as she slouched in her chair. It wasn’t until after 9am that they were allowed to go see Sydney, Dom and the baby. Sandi had gone in first and had tears of joy on her face as she left the room to make way for the godparents. Ali gave her a quick hug as they passed each other.

Dom was sitting in the chair next to the bed with the baby sleeping in his arms. Sydney was propped up in bed, head turned to watch her two boys with an exhausted but triumphant look on her face. Ali went straight to her best friend and wrapped her in a tight hug. They held each other for several minutes without saying anything while Ashlyn went over to greet Dom and his son.

“Are you ok?” Ali finally whispered, her chin still on Sydney’s shoulder.

“Now that he’s out of me? Yeah, I’m good” the coach answered with a groggy, quiet chuckle. “Do you want to take him for like, a week, so I can finally get some sleep?” she teased.

“Anything you need boo” the brunette squeezed her again. “I’m so fucking proud of you Syd.” She pulled back from the hug but kept her arm around her best friend’s shoulder. “Look what you did” she said emotionally and pointed at the beautiful baby boy in Ashlyn’s arms. Tears started to fall down Ali’s cheeks as she repeated proudly. “Just look at what you did.”


	28. The Semi-Final

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut warning

October 1st dawned bright in Chicago. The Breakers were in town for their big playoff game against the Red Stars. The winner would go to Orlando in two weeks to play for the championship. The loser would go to Orlando in one week and play in the runner up game to determine third and fourth place. The league liked the way ‘championship week’ had gone last year in Houston. They wanted to do the same thing in Orlando and decided to entice even more people to the venue by holding the runner up game the week before the championship game. Morgan Andrews was out, her ankle injury too severe for her to play on. There was a slim chance that she could play in the next game if the Breakers could make it to the championship round. The good news was that she hadn’t torn her acl or anything major like that. A high ankle sprain was no joke, but everybody would take that over an acl injury every time. And Megan Oyster’s concussion was going to keep her out of the game too. It wasn’t a severe concussion but it wasn’t a minor one either and she hadn’t cleared the concussion protocol yet. Her chances of playing in the championship game, if they could get there, were much better than Andrews’ chances.

Ashlyn was nervous about inserting a new player into the backline. They all were. She believed in all twenty of the women on the team but the backline had been so solid all season long. Whitney and Oyster had proven to be one of the best center back pairs in the whole league. It would be hard to recreate their chemistry after just one week of practice. For the first time all season, Whitney looked nervous as hell.

Ali had flown out that morning and checked into her own room at the same hotel the team was staying in. Her dad would be arriving later in the afternoon as well. Tammye was on her way too and both of Whitney’s parents had been there since the day before. As much as everybody on the team wanted to treat that game like any other game, it just wasn’t. The day dragged on endlessly for the players. After their morning meeting they had the rest of the morning to themselves until they had to report back to the hotel for team meal at 1pm. Lifetime was broadcasting both playoff games that evening. They wanted the Red Stars v Breakers game to air at 5pm on the East coast, so that meant kick-off was at 4pm Chicago time. The Portland v North Carolina game would air at 8pm Eastern time, right after the conclusion of the first game, with some time for commentary and interviews.

The brunette had never seen Ashlyn so anxious before. There was literally anxiety seeping out of her pores. She was jittery and tense and amped up. They had walked around a local park for an hour before Ali convinced the keeper to let her give her a relaxing massage back at the hotel. She was worried the blonde would use up all of her frenetic energy before she even got to the game.

“Now just relax babe. Nobody’s going to bother you. I have your phone and I will tell you if something important needs your attention, I promise. We’re in my room so nobody’s going to come find you. Just breathe and relax ok?” Ali’s voice was firm but soothing as she pulled her wife towards the hotel bed. “Let me take care of you and help you get centered and ready for the game this afternoon.”

“I’m so glad you’re here Al” the keeper admitted in a small voice as she tossed her snapback on the other bed and pulled her t-shirt over her head. “I know we talked about this being just another game but, fuck. I want to win this game so bad.”

“Shhhh, I know honey. But try and put that aside just for a little while” Ali suggested, her voice calm. She knelt down and untied her keeper’s shoes and took them off along with her socks. She stood up and pecked Ashlyn’s lips lightly. “I think you’re too amped up and you need to come down a notch or two.”

The blonde pulled her sports bra off while her wife lowered the joggers she was wearing. Ali pulled back the comforter and sheet of her bed and then closed the curtains to create a quiet and soothing space for her love to try and get her head right. When she crossed back over to the bed she was pleased to see Ashlyn stretched out on it already, wearing only her boxer briefs as usual for a massage. 

“Now I don’t have my super strong massage oil but we’ll just have to make do, ok?” she asked as she took her rings off and set them on the nightstand between the two beds. 

“Sounds good hon.”

Ali chuckled as she rubbed her hands together to warm them up. Ashlyn wasn’t even listening to her. She sighed. Hopefully getting her body relaxed would be better than nothing. She knew she couldn’t stop her keeper’s mind from racing without Ashlyn’s help. The brunette started to rub her wife’s shoulders and back. She began with long, strong strokes, pulling the tension down from her shoulders. She smiled when she heard her girl groan beneath her touch. 

“That’s it babe, just relax. All I want you to do is breathe.”

Ali spent the next thirty minutes massaging her keeper’s back, neck, arms and legs. She thought Ashlyn might have fallen asleep and was surprised when the blonde rolled over onto her back so she could finish the massage as usual, on the front half of her body. Ali gulped when she saw her keeper’s beautiful breasts. She let her eyes linger for a few seconds, unable to resist. The brunette felt a twinge in her core and bit her bottom lip subconsciously. She hoped her body never stopped responding like that to her gorgeous wife.

“What kind of pervy massage is this anyway?” Ashlyn teased when she realized what the hold-up was. 

“Oh pipe down you” Ali replied with a shy giggle as a blush started to creep up her neck.

She went to take the keeper’s arm in her hands to get back to the massage but Ashlyn reached out and pulled her down on top of her by her elbows.

“Oh!” the brunette yelped and then giggled.

“I didn’t know this kind of massage was an option” the blonde teased as she moved her hands across Ali’s back and ass.

“It’s not” the brunette tried to get up but Ashlyn held her close and kissed her neck. “Babe...” Ali said softly as she tried to fight the pleasurable sensation starting in her neck and spreading throughout her entire body.

Ashlyn moved her hands underneath her wife’s shirt and moaned when she felt her warm skin. She grazed her teeth against Ali’s neck and bit down gently on the soft flesh. The brunette hissed as she sucked in a breath and closed her eyes. She was going to lose this battle.

“I’m so glad you’re here Al” the blonde breathed out against her wife’s neck as she moved her lips up to her jaw. “And I know just the thing that’ll really get my mind right.”

“Oh yeah?” Ali purred, still trying not to give in but knowing she was going to. “What’s that?”

“How about I show you instead?” the keeper replied as she flipped them over and kissed her wife deeply as she pinned her to the bed.

They both moaned when the brunette deepened the kiss and sucked on Ashlyn’s tongue. She finally released it when her lungs began to burn for air. Ashlyn leaned forward until one of her bare breasts was in Ali’s face.

“You missed some important areas with that massage” the keeper smirked and then held her breath as Ali sucked her beautiful breast into her mouth.

She swirled her tongue around Ashlyn’s nipple and then flicked it back and forth several times as her keeper whimpered softly.

“Well I wasn’t finished” the brunette countered seductively as she moved her head and then sucked Ashlyn’s other breast into her mouth.

She expertly brought that nipple to attention and nipped at the side of the breast before Ashlyn sat up. 

“Hey, I wasn’t finished with those either” she smirked and licked her lips as she stared up into her wife’s darkened eyes. “Jesus you’re hot.”

Ashlyn straddled her hips and ground down against her as they stared at each other. Ali sat up and took her shirt off, and then her bra, never taking her eyes off of the blonde. Ashlyn moved her hands up and down the brunette’s sides giving her goosebumps. She dragged her thumbs underneath Ali’s breasts, back and forth, and then cupped them, pinching her nipples lightly.

“Fuck” Ali breathed out and closed her eyes as desire coursed through her body. She moved her hands behind her keeper and grabbed her ass, disappointed that she still had her underwear on. “Take these off” she instructed in a low voice.

When the keeper got off the bed to remove her boxer briefs Ali quickly took off her own jeans and panties. Finally, they were both naked. The brunette reached for her wife, wiggling the fingers on each outstretched hand as she lay back down on the bed.

“I love these fingers” Ashlyn murmured as she lay on top of the brunette, holding one of Ali’s wrists and licking her still wiggling fingers.

They kissed passionately and made out for a long time. It felt so good to be skin to skin and breathing each other in. Ali raked her nails down the keeper’s strong back and made her whimper again. Ashlyn bore down and pressed her mound against the top of the brunette’s clit, making Ali gasp and break the kiss.

“Yeah babe. God you feel good.” Ali moaned out and grabbed two firm handfuls of the blonde’s ass and squeezed hard.

“Ooooh...somebody’s ready” Ashlyn teased, hotly, before sinking her teeth into Ali’s neck again.

The brunette was getting worked up fast. Her nipples were standing at firm attention and she was rolling her hips up against her keeper to try and move things along. Ashlyn brought her hot mouth down to suck on those inviting, stiff nipples that she felt pressed into her own.

“Yessss” Ali hissed when she felt her wife’s lips close around her breast. “Fuck yes.”

Ashlyn kept working up her breasts and slid off to lie next to Ali’s right side. She kept her lips on her right breast and moved her right hand down the brunette’s gorgeous body. She trailed her fingertips from one hip to the other, making sure to give an extra swirl to the Nittany Lion as well as Ali’s sensitive spot near her left hip. She moved her hand as far down Ali’s legs as she could reach, going on the inside of her closest thigh and then back up it on the outside again. All the skin she teased erupted in more goosebumps. The brunette’s breathing had picked up as she responded to all the sensual touches. 

“Please, babe.”

Ashlyn moved her hand to her wife’s core and explored around it with her long fingers. She teased Ali’s entrance and then dipped one finger in about an inch.

“Jesus you’re wet. I fucking love that” she husked out, her voice lower and raspier than usual. She moved her mouth up and kissed Ali’s lips, biting her bottom lip as she pulled back at the end.

“Mmmmm” the brunette hummed.

The keeper put two fingers into Ali’s pussy and started thrusting at a steady pace.

“Unnhhh...fuck...yes babe...more.”

Ashlyn grinned, loving the way the brunette’s body responded to her touch. She started to move down Ali’s body.

“No, I want you to stay up here with me” Ali whined when she felt the loss of contact.

“But I need you to come in my mouth” the blonde explained as if there was no other option available.

Her wife’s words made another wave of passion flood Ali’s center as she moaned loudly. Ashlyn replaced her fingers with her mouth and started thrusting with her tongue. She reached up and grabbed one of Ali’s breasts with one hand and interlocked the fingers of her other hand with her beautiful brunette’s.

“Mmmmmmm...” Ashlyn moaned and hummed loudly into her wife’s wet core. The reverberations felt amazing as they travelled through Ali’s body.

“Oh my God” the brunette exclaimed as the sensation hit her.

She was getting close. Ashlyn could feel the extra pressure against her tongue, buried deep inside the brunette’s soaked pussy. She tried to bring her hand down but Ali wouldn’t let it go so Ashlyn let go of the brunette’s breast and moved that hand down between her legs. The keeper dragged her mouth up to focus on Ali’s aching clit. The brunette almost screamed out as the first few sensations of intense pleasure swirled around her sensitive nub. Ashlyn shoved her two fingers back inside her wife’s throbbing center and started pumping them in and out, fast and deep.

“Shit. Oh. Unnhhhh...fuck.”

Ali brought her own hand up to her breasts, keeping the other hand grasping her wife’s strong hand. She could feel the beginnings of her orgasm and chased it. She lifted her hips to try and match Ashlyn’s thrusts. Her chest started to heave and her breathing became ragged. After a couple more flicks of her clit with her tongue, Ashlyn watched her wife come hard and loud. 

“Fuck! Oh! Ash! Unnnhhhh...” she yelled and then groaned as her body shook uncontrollably. 

Ashlyn dodged a knee as the brunette’s legs flailed through the powerful orgasm. She felt minor pain in her left hand as Ali squeezed the shit out of it, riding out her release. She stopped thrusting and slowly removed her fingers, using her tongue to lick up every bit of Ali’s juices that she could.

“Goddamn you taste incredible” she moaned as she licked the tops of the brunette’s luscious thighs. “Fucking delicious.”

Finally, after several minutes, she let the brunette pull her up on top of her again. They kissed deeply for several more minutes, stopping only so Ali could finish catching her breath.

“Damn I wish we had the strap-on right now” the brunette mumbled against her wife’s swollen lips. “I want to hold you close like this and fuck you at the same time.”

Ashlyn closed her eyes when she heard what Ali said. As if she needed any more stimulation. As if she wasn’t already incredibly turned on and ready to go. Fuck. This woman was everything she had ever dreamed of.

“Well that just gives us something awesome to look forward to when we get home baby” she replied and then crashed their lips together in another searing kiss.

“What do you want, sexy?” Ali purred into her wife’s ear and then nipped at her earlobe. “Tell me what you want me to do to your gorgeous body.”

The keeper was starting to get overheated and somewhat hazy from all the desire and lust surging through her system. She had also started to sweat a little bit too. Ali saw the faraway look in her eyes and rolled them over so they were on their sides with Ali’s back to the room.

“You ok Ash?” she asked softly, without breaking the mood.

“I’m good” the blonde breathed out as she blinked her eyes. “Just...fuck me.”

Ali brought their lips together in a softer but still sensual kiss. She reached down and lifted Ashlyn’s top leg and rested it on top of her own hip, opening the blonde up so she could reach her pulsing core better. The brunette knew her keeper was too far gone for anything other than an orgasm so she didn’t waste much time. Ashlyn was sopping wet and it was easy to guide her two fingers through her slick folds and into her waiting pussy.

“Shit yeah. Mmmmm...” the blonde hummed and closed her eyes for a minute.

Ali kissed her lips again and then bent her body down so she could reach Ashlyn’s top breast with her mouth. She started to thrust her fingers as deep as they would go as she sucked hard on her wife’s delicious breast. 

“Jesus...” Ashlyn squeezed her eyes shut again and bit her bottom lip.

The heel of Ali’s palm hit the keeper’s clit with every deep thrust of her fingers. She could feel Ashlyn’s body coiling and getting ready to spring. The brunette snaked her left arm down between their bodies and got her finger on her wife’s needy clit. Ashlyn arched her back when she felt the contact and let out a low moan as Ali started to rub the sensitive nub faster and harder.

“Unnnhhhhh...fuck...Mmmmmm...”

“Just let go baby, I’ve got you” Ali encouraged as she increased her thrusting into one last gear.

Ashlyn’s orgasm ripped through her and she brought her other knee up as she shook and convulsed and thrashed around. Her knee came up so fast and so strong that she almost knocked Ali backwards off the bed. The scrappy brunette had to use both hands to hold on to different parts of her wife’s flailing body to save herself. She grabbed the blondes’ hip with her left hand and her lower leg with the other, digging her short nails into the flesh in both places. The keeper was oblivious. She rode out her high with a string of swears and growling moans. Once she had finally stopped moving and almost regained her normal breathing she heard Ali chuckle. She opened her eyes and saw her favorite face grinning back at her with mischief in her eyes.

“What’s so funny?” she asked and tried to pull her wife closer to her. “Why won’t you come here?”

“Are you kidding?” Ali raised her eyebrows and cocked her head a little bit.

“No baby, what’s going on? That orgasm was fucking amazing. That’s all I know.” Ashlyn smiled and shook her head appreciatively.

“Well I should hope so” Ali said lightly. “You practically kicked me off the damned bed when you came.” She grinned again when the blonde’s face contorted into disbelief and then worry and a little embarrassment.

“I did not” the keeper frowned suspiciously at her girl.

“Yep, you sure did” Ali giggled. “If you don’t believe me I’m sure you have some claw marks from where I hung on for dear life.”

“Really?” the keeper was still amazed at the possibility that she could have done that and not even remembered it. She reached her left hand and ran it to a stinging spot near her hip. “Holy shit” she replied, her eyes wide. “I’m so sorry honey, are you ok?”

Ali finally came closer and snuggled into her wife’s chest and arms. “I’m fine Ash. You surprised the shit out of me though” she chuckled and kissed the blonde’s jaw. “If that’s what it’s like for you when I come then I’m really sorry.”

Ashlyn relaxed once she knew the brunette hadn’t been hurt. 

“It’s ok baby” she said softly and placed soft kisses around Ali’s face. “You could give me a black eye every time you came and I’d still love giving you orgasms.”

//

The Chicago Red Stars were the team that Ashlyn always seemed to play her best against. It was hard to explain, but she always played a stellar game against them, whether it was at home or on the road. Part of it, Ashlyn thought, was that Christen Press was so freaking talented that the keeper had no choice but to be extraordinary or her team would get embarrassed every single time. Whatever the reason, Ashlyn had Chicago’s number. Her teammates knew it too. That extra boost of confidence made them all play better. They almost played freer. Not officially loose or reckless, but certainly more aggressive. The coaches had picked up on it too and Cat Whitehill, the assistant coach who was primarily in charge of the defense, delivered a fiery pre-game speech. She called the whole team out and told them they’d better not rely on one person to save their asses like they usually did against the Red Stars. She never used Ashlyn’s name but everybody understood what she was saying. She flat out challenged the forwards to score.

The game was one of the best Ali had ever seen. She sat in the stands with her father and Tammye and the other Breakers’ families and cheered her guts out. The Breakers looked rusty and shaky at first. They seemed out of sync, which was natural with two brand new starters. The coach was unusually quiet as he prowled the sideline. He was normally very vocal, his English accent carrying far and wide. His team played better as the first half came to a close, but they were down 0-2 and starting to get a little panicky.

“What do you think?” Ali asked her dad as they stood and stretched their legs during the halftime break.

“I think they’re playing better than they think they are. They’re just a few seconds off on their passes. If they can stay calm and start connecting those then we’re going to see a very different second half.”

“I sure hope so” Tammye commented with a frown. 

The woman standing next to them, a dedicated Breakers fan it seemed, added to their conversation.

“And please don’t let anyone get injured!”

Ali almost slapped the woman. She turned her head quickly when she heard the fan’s heartfelt plea. Fury raced through the brunette’s body. Ken’s face never changed but he turned his head to look away, then he closed his eyes for a minute. It was an unwritten rule. You never said the words out loud during a game. Never. You thought it over and over and over on a loop in your head sometimes, but you never uttered the words. How did this woman not know that? As if she could read Ali’s mind, the fan spoke again.

“I’m sorry. I know that’s bad luck but I’m just so worried after the last game...”

Ali excused herself and went for a walk to try and clear her head. She checked her social media and sent a few posts and tweets and messages. She checked the Knight-Harris social media and saw that Jared was on top of it, as usual. He was giving live updates and posting pictures and staying light and optimistic. He had sent Ali an email earlier to update her on the merchandise numbers for the playoff t-shirts so far. They were almost all sold out and would definitely be gone before the end of the day, especially if the Breakers pulled out a win. The brunette smiled, glad that some part of the plan was working out. She was extremely nervous about her investment in the championship t-shirts. She had made the decision on her own and if the Breakers didn’t make it to the championship game that bad investment would cost K-H a lot of money. Ali wasn’t much of a gambler. She worked too hard to throw her money away on a whim. But banking on Ashlyn hadn’t felt like a gamble. There was something about the way she and Whitney both believed in the team this year. Ali closed her eyes, said another silent prayer and went back to her seat.

It was as if Ken Krieger had been able to see into the future. The Breakers that came out and played the second half were calm but still aggressive. They seemed to see the play a little bit clearer and react and adjust more quickly. Everything started to click around the 48th minute when Tasha Dowie muscled her way to a loose ball just outside the box and booted their first goal home. And it was the perfect goal to start with. It wasn’t a pretty, finesse goal. It was a gritty, blue-collar, hustle and heart goal that re-ignited the Breakers fire. They celebrated quickly and then got right back to business. Chicago came right back at them and Ashlyn had to make three incredible saves in a row over the next twenty minutes of the game. Alyssa Chapman, the center back who was starting in place of the injured Megan Oyster was having a tough game. She was a very talented international who won a bronze medal with team Canada at the Rio Olympics last year. Chapman came to the Breakers in the offseason from the Dash and started the year injured. She had been trying to come back from a knee injury all season long. She was a great player but she wasn’t helping the cause in this game. Coach had chosen her experience at center back instead of going with one of his outside backs to fill Oyster’s spot and nobody could blame him. But it wasn’t working. The first sub of the game was Brooke Elby for Chapman. Julie King slid into the center back spot and Elby took her place at right back. The sub could easily have been Kylie Strom but Ali wondered if the coach was trying to play into Ashlyn and Whitney’s UNC history. Elby was a Tarheel too, a much younger one, but still a Tarheel.

The next sub was wily veteran Tiff Weimer who came on for rookie Margaret Purce at forward. Purce had also struggled with the pace of the game in the first half. It was her first start all season and she was put in a tough spot with lots of pressure. Hopefully, if they could somehow pull out a win, the experience she gained against Chicago would help her in the next game. Weimer, along with Angela Salem, Amanda DaCosta and Megan Oyster, had played with Ashlyn in Washington before the keeper’s trade. Nobody knew exactly which of the changes had the most impact, but something fell into place after ten minutes with the new players being on the field. All of a sudden they were passing the ball quickly and efficiently with a mix of one-touch passes and some nice through balls. Kristie Mewis caught Chicago’s keeper off her line and dropped a perfect shot right over her head and into goal. People would debate whether it was a cross or a shot, but Kristie knew what she was doing. Alyssa Naeher, the Chicago keeper and starter for the USWNT, had played in Boston for three years with Kristie. They were good friends, both from the New England area. Kristie knew Naeher could be beat on that shot as long as the other forwards didn’t go too far into the box and cause her to back up. They finally were on the same page and Kristie ran to Weimer, Haavi and Dowie to celebrate the goal they had been trying to score all game.

The third goal came from midfielder Rosie White, the Breakers’ New Zealand international. She was johnny on the spot when Julie Johnston, Chicago defender and USWNT starter, blocked a distance shot from Rose Lavelle. The ball deflected back to White who drilled it past Naeher to take the lead 3-2. There were still fifteen minutes left in the game and the Red Stars had not given up. Their intensity only increased and they launched attack after attack down the field. They knew they had an advantage with Julie King playing center back and were desperately trying to capitalize on it. Angela Salem was playing the holding midfielder position, as she had done all season, and was doing everything she could to try and help out the backline without Oyster in it. She was having a great game. It wouldn’t show up on any highlight reels and would barely make the stat book, but she had been saving the Breakers’ bacon all game long. Chicago started a quick counter attack, Naeher getting a long ball all the way down to Christen Press. Press handled it beautifully, as usual, and moved the ball upfield with her head up. She tried to fake Salem out but the midfielder didn’t bite and they collided in a pile of arms and legs. The ref blew the whistle and gave Salem a yellow card which was absolute crap and everybody watching knew it. Christen Press even looked apologetic as she got up off the grass. To make matters worse, Salem didn’t get up. She was a tough player so her teammates knew if she couldn’t walk off the knock that it wasn’t good. She had twisted her ankle and couldn’t put any weight on it. After a minute of playing down a man, the coach finally used his last substitution, bringing in Amanda DaCosta for the injured Salem.

Ten minutes left and the Breakers clung to their 3-2 lead. Chicago just kept coming. Christen Press, Jen Hoy and Sofia Huerta were like an assault team. One of them always seemed to have the ball with a little too much free space around them for coach’s liking. The Breakers fans were literally holding their breath. The only good thing, thought Ali in the stands, was that the injury jinx from that fan at halftime had been taken care of and it hadn’t been Ashlyn. The brunette had to hide her grin when she processed that thought for the first time.

Rose Lavelle intercepted a pass and took it all the way inside the 18 before dishing it expertly to a streaking Emilie Haavi, the Breakers’ Norwegian international forward. Haavi buried it in the back of the net and carried Lavelle all the way back up to midfield before putting her down. Every Breakers fan breathed a huge sigh of relief. There was no way the team would give up two goals in five minutes. No freaking way. Not with Ashlyn Harris in goal. Time went by so slowly but all of the action was in the Breakers’ half of the field. There was a scrum of five players just inside the 18 and somehow the ball was passed over to Christen Press, who was unmarked in the box while Ashlyn screamed for someone to cover her. Press turned and blasted the ball into the corner of the net, past Ashlyn’s outstretched arms. The keeper popped up with fire in her eyes as she barked at her backline. There had been too much ball watching and not enough man marking.

The last two minutes of stoppage time were almost surreal for Ali, watching helplessly from the stands. She saw the whole thing about to happen too, which only made it worse. Chicago was on another breakaway and Sofia Huerta was racing down the middle of the field towards the top of the 18. She had both Christen Press and Jen Hoy with her, one on either side. It couldn’t have been drawn up any prettier for the Red Stars. Whitney and Julie King were the only two players back and they knew they were screwed. Whitney waited, backing up and backing up, until she heard Ashlyn yell at her to go. That meant she was to go and cover Christen Press and forget about the ball. Everybody knew it, even the Red Stars. So a few seconds later, when Huerta wound up to kick the ball to Jen Hoy on her right, Ashlyn yelled again and both Julie and Whitney shifted at the same time to their left. Julie slid out to cover Hoy just as the ball got to the speedy forward’s feet and the defender managed to slow her progress down and keep the player and the ball in front of her. Whitney made it over to cover Huerta in the middle so the easy pass back was cut off. Ashlyn’s eyes looked upfield for a quick second, hoping to see some help but DaCosta was still too far away. Hoy made a great pass right through the box and over to Press on the other side. Whitney heard Ashlyn tell her to go right as the ball passed behind her on its’ way to Press and somehow got herself over far enough to make the forward strike the ball earlier than she wanted to. It floated chest-high towards the goal, about three feet in front of it. Ashlyn yelled that it was hers and stepped out to catch it. Huerta, who had never stopped running after dishing off to Hoy in the first place, came barreling into the play. Julie King had moved back to try and defend the front of the goal but couldn’t get there fast enough. Huerta, with her foot up trying to kick the ball into the goal, crashed into Ashlyn hard. Her foot, cleats up, landed right in the keeper’s midsection and then scraped off to her side actually tearing her keeper’s jersey open. Ashlyn managed to get her left hand on the ball to slow it down and re-direct it a tiny bit, but it was still heading for the corner of the goal. Julie King got there in the nick of time and cleared it past the goal post and over into the space that Hoy had just vacated. Christen Westphal was back by that time and she cleared the ball all the way back down into Chicago’s end as the ref blew his whistle.

It had been an awful ball to try and do anything with. It was too low to get your head on and it was too high to get your foot on. Nobody really thought Huerta was trying to hurt Ashlyn but she still shouldn’t have gone in with her cleats up like that. That’s how people got hurt. At the end of the play, just before the ref blew the whistle, an irate Whitney came over to the pile that was Ashlyn and Huerta. She did something she had never done before. She bent over and screamed in Huerta’s face while she was still on the ground.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?!”

And then she knelt down to check on her bloody best friend. Huerta scrambled to her feet as other Breakers players crowded the area to defend their keeper. Brooke Elby, Amanda DaCosta and Kristie Mewis bulled their way right up to Whitney’s back and then pushed any Red Stars jersey they saw. Soon Tasha Dowie and Tiff Weimer were there trying to calm everybody down and keep the peace. The coach was apoplectic and looked like his bright red head was going to pop right off of his body. The ref conferred with the assistant refs and issued a red card to Huerta and declared the game over, securing the Breakers’ 4-3 victory.

But there was no celebration. The whole Breakers team had rushed to the goal after letting the medical team go first. The cameras couldn’t see anything because of all the white and blue surrounding the goal and the keeper.

All Ali heard was the horrible groan that had come out of her wife when she took the cleat to the gut. Then she felt her father grab one of her hands and Tammye the other. The three of them stood there, like statues, too afraid to breathe. The brunette finally saw Whitney stand up and look into the stands for her. Their eyes met but the defender’s stony face only made Ali’s heart hurt even more. Before she knew it, Ali was at the bottom of the stands, her legs had apparently decided that was where she needed to be. Whitney pointed her out to a security guard who came and helped Ali over the railing. As she walked quickly towards the goal, the white and blue made a path for her until she was just behind the EMTs. 

“Who the fuck is this?” one of the security guards challenged aggressively as the brunette tried to step into Ashlyn’s line of sight.

“It’s her wife, asshole” Angela Salem answered, still on one leg because of her ankle injury.

“Al?” came Ashlyn’s thin, weak voice.

“I’m right here babe.” Ali knelt down next to her wife’s head and tried not to look at all of the blood on her stomach and right side. “I’m right here.”

“Hi” the keeper said sweetly as she looked up into her favorite whiskey colored eyes.

“Hi yourself” Ali couldn’t help but grin a little when she saw her keeper’s shy smile.

“We won. We did it. We won.” Each sentence got quieter as Ashlyn’s face got paler.

“What’s happening?” Whitney quickly asked.

The EMT explained that she had lost some blood and would probably be a little woozy, especially after playing such a tough game. She hadn’t hit her head at all so there was no risk of concussion. The cleat had torn her jersey and ripped up the skin of her stomach with some deep scrapes on her right side. They didn’t know about any internal damage yet, but they definitely expected there to be some.

“You’re ok Ash” Ali said softly as she held her wife’s left hand. “You might feel sleepy but you’re ok. We’re going to the hospital to get you checked out.”

The brunette’s calm voice belied the fear that still gripped her chest. But she didn’t want her keeper to know how terrified she really was.

“You too?”

“Yep, me too.”

They kept Ashlyn in the hospital overnight for observation after running a battery of tests on her. She didn’t have any broken bones and didn’t appear to be bleeding internally. The cuts and puncture wounds to her stomach and right side weren’t too serious. They would heal on their own with only minimal scarring. The keeper would need to wrap the wounds carefully to protect them for the next game. The only serious issue was the bruised ribs. There was nothing to be done for them, except give them time to heal. For a regular field player bruised ribs might not be a very big deal. They did most of their work with their feet after all. But for goalkeepers it was a big deal. Every time they stretched for a ball or threw or kicked the ball, the ribs hurt. And, worst of all, every time they launched themselves to one side or the other to block a shot they had to land on their ribs and that freaking killed.

“Well, I’ve got two weeks to let them heal. That’ll just have to do. I’m not missing that fucking game.”


	29. The Championship

Ashlyn did everything she could possibly do to get ready to play in the championship game. She slept with a special air pressure sleeve around her torso that was supposed to allow for better and faster healing. She went to an acupuncturist, which was no small feat because she was a complete baby about needles. Ali had to go with her and hold her hand the entire time. She did hydrotherapy at the Breakers facility and would have spent more time in the ocean at home if Ali had let her.

“No way babe” Ali shook her head. “You’re going to get pneumonia. This isn’t the Florida Atlantic in October. If you want to do more work in the water then we’re going to my dad’s pool.”

The keeper couldn’t really argue because it was too painful to put her wetsuit on anyway. The ocean wasn’t that cold in early October up in Gloucester if you were going for a quick swim. But you didn’t want to be floating in it for an hour like Ashlyn was trying to do.

Ali had never seen anybody more single-minded about anything in her life. If it wasn’t about how to get her bruised ribs to heal faster, she didn’t want to hear about it. Ashlyn was literally trying everything to get her ribs healed enough so she could play in the championship game. The keeper was discouraged after the first week. She thought she would feel better by then but she felt almost the same. The cuts and scrapes weren’t healing that well either because she kept getting them wet with all of her hydrotherapy. 

It was the Monday of ‘Championship Week’ and the Breakers had just flown down to Orlando. They would have training every day and then a bunch of media obligations throughout the week. Thursday was the last day for any of those distractions though. Friday, Saturday and Sunday were strictly about the match on Sunday afternoon. Ali had originally planned to fly down on Thursday and spend some time with her mom and Mike Christopher who were coming to Orlando for the big game. And the Harrises would be driving back and forth as much as possible throughout the week to check on their girl too. But after the injury, Ali knew her keeper was going to need her down there with her. They didn’t talk about it other than when the brunette told her wife about the schedule change when they returned home from Chicago. Now, a week later, they were in Orlando. The brunette was trying to make sure the agent side of her didn’t push her keeper too hard with media appearances and interview requests this week. And the wife side of her was trying to make sure she didn’t hold her back too much. It was a tough balancing act to be sure.

“They can’t stop me from playing you know” Ashlyn said as she stared at the ceiling from the bed in her hotel room. 

Ali was curled into her keeper’s left side, carefully avoiding most of her midsection. She knew what her wife was trying to prepare her for. She knew Ashlyn was going to play on Sunday even if the pain almost killed her. The only way she wouldn’t play would be if the pain actually made her pass out. What the blonde was struggling with was wondering whether or not she would be helping the team or hurting the team by doing so. 

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves” the brunette replied evenly. “The doctors said the improvement would happen this week, week two. Let’s just see how you feel on Friday, ok? No decisions one way or the other for four more days. Just concentrate on healing until Friday.” She leaned up and kissed the keeper’s jaw. 

“But they can’t actually stop me from playing Al.” The blonde sounded like a five year old trying to win some silly argument at recess.

“I know honey.”

//

While it paled in comparison to the team’s big victory and Ashlyn’s scary injury, Ali had kicked ass in the merchandise world too. She and Jared were the only people who knew much about it so the celebration was small, but heartfelt. Her big gamble had paid off and the Championship t-shirts were selling like hotcakes online. The keeper had designed them, not realizing exactly what her wife had planned for them at the time, and they were a huge hit. It was a black t-shirt with a Breakers logo on the front, used with permission. It said ‘Championship Week’ and ‘Orlando 2017’ in Breakers blue. On the back was an action shot of Ashlyn in goal with ‘Harris’ above and ‘Homecoming’ below. The plan was just to sell them to fans but the Breakers had decided they wanted to all wear them during the team media day on Wednesday. It wasn’t Whitney’s idea and she was stunned when Rose Lavelle and Angela Salem had approached her about their plan. She took them to see the coach.

“What is it Lavelle?” the coach barked out without looking up. 

He sat behind a table in the conference room of the hotel Monday evening. The rookie midfielder looked at Whitney and then over at Angela and then back at the coach before speaking in a small voice.

“We, ah, were hoping you would, um...”

“Jesus Christ Engen” coach gave Whitney a withering look.

“Listen coach” Angela interrupted. “The players all got together and we want your permission to wear these t-shirts for media day Wednesday. You know, for Ash.” She held up a t-shirt, waited patiently for the coach to actually look up at it, and then turned it around to show him the back.

“This your idea Engen” he asked gruffly.

“Nope. They just brought it to me which is why we’re here now” Whitney answered evenly. 

“And why do we want to do this for Harris?” he sat back in his chair and rubbed both his hands over his weary face. 

The three players looked at each other and Whitney nodded at Rose.

“Because she’s injured and...”

“Well Oyster and Andrews are injured too, what about them? And Chapman’s been fighting an injury all damn season, what about her?” the coach challenged.

“Yeah, but Keep’s going to play on Sunday, you know she is...” the youngster brashly started before being cut-off.

“No I don’t know that and neither do any of you” he bit back harshly.

“But she is coach, we all know it.” Angela tried again. “She and Whit have been the heart and soul of this team all season” she nodded at the team captain before continuing. “Ash opened her home to all of us each week, every single one of us and she’s been there for us every step of the way. She’s helped all of us with something or other at some point, rooks and vets alike. I can’t tell you how much that means to the team. We’re a team because of her. We’re a family because of her. And we want to show her how much we appreciate her and everything she does for us. And we think that the fact that we worked our asses off and got to the championship game in her hometown is special and we want to honor that too.”

“I think Whit is the heart and Ash is the soul. I think that’s how it works” Rose added absent-mindedly when Angela was finished. 

Whitney chuckled at Rose’s remark and the coach closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

“Hold it up again. And the other side.” He glanced at Whitney. “What do you think Engen?”

“I think the entire team feels very strongly about this coach. I like it.”

“Fine. Just make sure everybody on staff has one too. Now get out.”

Ali had been moved almost to tears when Whitney approached her later that night. But there was no time for tears. The brunette had to figure out some way to get forty t-shirts shipped to Orlando in one day. She had arranged for a few hundred t-shirts to be shipped down for the weekend, but they weren’t arriving until Friday morning. A couple of Ashlyn’s cousins were going to sell them at the official vendors booth all weekend. None of which helped the current situation. Ali got on the phone and Whitney covered for her with Ashlyn. They wanted to surprise the keeper.

The weeklong trip was an expense that Ali hadn’t planned on either. Spending money on a hotel room and eating out twice a day every day added up quickly. And she had had to upgrade her wardrobe for the week too. She was secretly ecstatic about that. She hadn’t gone crazy buying new clothes, but she was representing the company now, and Ashlyn too – although it wouldn’t be official until January when Greg’s contract was up - and she had to look professional and put together. Dress slacks, low heeled but still stylish shoes, and nice blouses – all with a business feel to them - was her new wardrobe. She found that after all those years selling windows on jobsites that she wasn’t as comfortable in high heels and skirts any more. She would work them in occasionally though, until she was able to get comfortable again. And, according to her tax specialist, she could write all of it off as a business expense because she was there working for Knight-Harris. It had taken the brunette a little while to learn how to apply the tax rules to her sales rep position when she first started out. She expected a similar learning curve for her new position. She tried not to worry about the money part of it. All that did was make her nauseous. She was where she was supposed to be and she knew it. Besides, she was truly doing Knight-Harris work every day. Her hotel room was her own little office with her laptop and both phones. She had to keep her sales rep phone with her too in case something came up that she actually had to deal with or hand out to another rep. Ali went out of her way to get to know some of the women’s soccer journalists that week. She followed many of them on social media already, just as a fan of the game, so it was easy to take the next step. 

The brunette attended and participated in as many of the scheduled events during the week as she could and networked her butt off. She had studied as many online courses in Sports Agency as possible since she had decided on her career change at the beginning of the year. She had found an eight-week online course that officially did the trick. By October, Ali had taken the Sports Agency Exam and passed with flying colors. She had her Sports Agent License and Certificate and was registered in eight different states, the six New England states, New York and Florida. So far she was only certified as an agent in the NWSL and NWHL but that was all she really cared about for the short term. Next on her list was the WNBA and MLS – she didn’t want to exclude the men – and she thought it might be a good idea to try for the NFL just in case one of Ashlyn’s football buddies decided to throw some business their way. She had felt such a thrill the first time she gave her business card out that it took all of her self-control not to jump in the air and pump her fist. On one side it was the official Knight-Harris K-H design and logo and on the other side was her information. It said: 

Ali Krieger  
Agent & Managing Partner  
Knight-Harris Company, Inc.

“Wow, look at you!” Ashlyn enthused Tuesday afternoon when they finally caught up with each other back at Ali’s hotel room. She hadn’t seen much of Ali’s new wardrobe yet but she definitely approved. “One of us is completely under-dressed” she chuckled and struck a silly model’s pose in her board shorts and bikini top with a damp t-shirt over it.

“You look good to me” Ali grinned as she kissed her wife hello. “Mmmmmm. I missed you today” she said as she pulled back from her still damp keeper, just back from hydrotherapy in the hotel pool.

“I missed you too baby” the blonde replied with another kiss, leaning across the gap Ali created to reach her lips.

“You look happy. How are you feeling?”

“Pretty much the same, honestly” Ashlyn replied. “But I’m doing everything I can and that’s all I can do. Stressing out about it is only going to make it harder to heal.”

“Who are you and what have you done with my wife?” Ali giggled as she sat at the desk to transfer all the business cards and notes from her day networking from her purse into her contacts folder. “Seriously Ash, that’s the smartest thing I’ve heard you say in a week. I’m proud of you.”

“I talked to Gram today. She called to apologize for not being able to come see me until the end of the week” Ashlyn explained. “I always sound smarter after I talk with Gram.”

“I think we all do” the brunette said quietly and smiled at her keeper.

“I gotta tell you Al, total hidden perk to your new job is getting to see you in nicer clothes” the blonde admitted as her eyes raked up and down her wife’s body.

“Oh I see, the truth finally comes out about how much you hated my clothes before...” she teased but was cut-off by the keeper.

“Absolutely not! You know I thought you looked hot in those clothes. I told you all the time” Ashlyn protested as Ali laughed.

“Alright, you’re right” she conceded with a sweet smile. “You’ve always been great about complimenting me, even in my boring old work clothes. Thank you sweetheart.” She finished with the business cards and crossed back over to her keeper who was still standing just inside the door. “Are you going to come in and get comfortable or what’s the plan?” 

“I’m free until dinner, but I’m going to go hang out with some of the girls for a while, if that’s ok...”

“Ashlyn, you promised you wouldn’t let me being here keep you from doing what you usually do with the team.” 

“I know, and you’re not. Everything’s always better when you’re with me” the blonde said sincerely and held Ali’s hands in hers between them. “Can we relax tonight though? Maybe watch a Hitchcock movie and get my mind right before the media blitz in the morning?”

Ali’s face scrunched up into a nose-crinkling grin and she kissed her keeper’s lips.

“Of course we can. That sounds great. We’ll see what they have on Netflix.”

“Nah, I brought the boxed set” Ashlyn admitted bashfully and grinned back at her wife. “Nothing calms me down more than watching Hitch with you and I figured I’d probably need one or two this week.”

That night almost the entire team gathered in one of the conference rooms of the hotel to watch ‘Spellbound’ with Ashlyn and Ali. The keeper had originally invited a couple of her teammates to join them in the room she shared with Whitney. But the number had grown so much that the captain had called downstairs and made other arrangements. There were several couches and armchairs that had been brought into the large room along with a big flatscreen tv that the hotel used for business presentations. Ashlyn’s laptop was hooked up to it and everyone made themselves comfortable to watch the movie. When Ali walked in and realized what was going on she turned to leave, not wanting to intrude on another team bonding event but Ashlyn pulled her into the room and onto one of the couches next to her.

“Thanks for sharing with us tonight Ali” Whitney said with a grin. “What’s this one about anyway?”

The brunette returned the smile and sat up so everybody could hear her.

“Ingrid Bergman plays a psychiatrist who goes on the run to protect an amnesia patient, Gregory Peck, who’s been wrongly accused of murder. She tries to help him regain his memory so he can prove his innocence” Ali explained. “It’s black and white and was made in 1945. And here are two cool things about this movie. One, there’s a famous dream sequence in it that was designed by Salvadore Dali.”

“The famous artist?” Ashlyn asked, quirking an eyebrow.

“Yep. The famous artist. And two, you’ll probably recognize Gregory Peck and that’s because he’s the actor who played Atticus Finch in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’.”

When the movie was finished Ali took great pleasure watching several of the younger women googling Salvadore Dali on their phones and talking about other Hitchcock films that they didn’t realize were Hitchcock films because they didn’t really know who he was. Of course, some of the players had just fallen right to sleep or left the room because the black and white movie was too boring for them. Ali didn’t care. She had gotten what she wanted, a nice snuggly movie in her wife’s arms.

“Hey Keep” Rose Lavelle called out from somewhere closer to the tv. “Can I borrow one of these movies from your boxed set?”

“Yes you can Sweet Baby Rose. And you’re in charge of that boxed set from now on. Make a list and keep track of whoever borrows a movie. I want them all back before we leave, got it?” Ashlyn instructed.

“Got it! Thanks Keep!”

“You’re welcome. And keep your grubby fingers off of the discs, hold them by the edges you animals.”

Wednesday morning brought media blitz day with it. All of the journalists were in the enormous ballroom of a local hotel waiting for the official start. There were small tables set up with a name card for two Breakers’ players at each table. The idea was for the players to sit in their assigned seats, the tables were spread all around the ballroom, and then the journalists would come up and sit or stand with them to ask them some questions. The NWSL commissioner kicked off media blitz day with a short press conference and then the owner of the Orlando Pride, the host club for the weekend, welcomed everyone and answered a few more questions. Ali stood there with everybody else in attendance, waiting for the players to come in and the men in suits to be finished. The brunette held her breath and got her camera out to video the Breakers walking to their tables, each wearing one of Ashlyn’s championship game t-shirts. She caught her wife’s eye as she walked past and saw how emotional she was already. For the next three hours the team answered questions about everything from the NWSL season to their favorite type of dog to how they thought the latest episode of ‘The Bachelor’ had gone. It was ridiculous and amazing all rolled into one crazy morning.

Almost every journalist started off by asking about the t-shirts and every player gave them the same answer.

“We’re wearing these for our keeper, so she knows how much we love her and how much we appreciate how hard she’s working to get ready for the game on Sunday.”

Several of the players went into more detailed answers. Some told stories about how Ashlyn and Whitney had helped them during the course of the season. Rose Lavelle talked about how important it was for the younger players, who were new to the league and the team and the city all at the same time, to have a place they could go if they needed to feel at home. She explained about team dinner at Ashlyn’s house. The international players said the same thing, it was nice to have a home away from home if they needed one. Whitney kept it more professional, knowing the rest of the team would be more forthcoming so she didn’t have to be. She just said that Ashlyn was her best friend and she felt lucky to be able to play on the same team with her and there was no place else she’d rather be than in Boston with this team. It was quite a statement considering her dream was to play for the USWNT, and if she couldn’t do that then she’d most likely want to be living with Ryan somewhere.

Kristie Mewis was the one who got the most emotional, which surprised Ali as she observed the whole thing unfold. 

“There’s a group of us that have been here for a few years. It’s a smaller group now but there’s still a few of us. Ash, Whit, Julie and myself. We know how hard this team has fought to get to this point. There were some tough years in Boston and it would have been easy to throw in the towel, or ask for a trade or maybe even just give up and quit...go get a real job or whatever” the midfielder, who had spent time with the USWNT and was well-respected around the league and within the media, paused to try and keep her voice under control. “But we stuck it out and I’m so freaking happy that we did because to see this team become what it is now and to be a part of this team that is going to play in the championship game means the world to me, to us, to the four of us especially.” 

She had to stop for a minute and take a drink before continuing. Several other journalists had gathered around her as they realized something true and special was happening in that moment.

“Why are you so emotional Kristie? Can you tell us?”

“Oh, because it’s emotional. So much of what we do involves sacrifice. These women give up so much to play this game. And, look, I’m not complaining. We get to play the game that we love. All I’m saying is that there are huge sacrifices that players make every day to do this and when you see those sacrifices start to be rewarded, it’s emotional.”

“What kind of sacrifices? Give us some examples.”

“How about you postpone your wedding or your honeymoon until after the season? Explain that to your husband or wife” she chuckled and smiled. “Or you wait to start a family until you’re in your late 30s so you can do what you do best for a few years longer? How about you miss almost every single important holiday or birthday or anniversary or wedding for your family and friends? That’s tough as hell. And thank God for our families and friends that still love us!” she yelled that last line out loud and most of the other players cheered and repeated it back. “Or how about your hometown starts a new team with a fancy new stadium and an incredibly professional ownership group that already operates a successful MLS team and knows exactly what they’re doing...how about you get a chance to go and play for your hometown team in front of your family and friends and you pass that up?” She paused and looked quickly at Ali who was standing nearby, surprised at what she was hearing. Kristie met Ali’s eyes and when the brunette nodded the midfielder smiled back at her gratefully and continued. “So you can stay in Boston and finish what you started three years ago, so you can try your best to bring a championship home to your fans who have loved you even when you were at the bottom of the table more often than not. How about that sacrifice?” Kristie took another drink of water and calmed herself down again. She realized that the rest of the room was practically silent. Everybody was listening to her, teammates and coaches and executives and journalists alike. “I’ve never been more proud of any team I’ve ever been on than I am of this one. And there’s nothing that we wouldn’t do for each other, and I think that’s reflected in our play on the field. Hell, I watched a boring old black and white movie last night just because that’s what the rest of the team wanted to do. But that’s how this team works this year, and I hope for many more years to come. I hope the younger players on this team realize what a rare and beautiful thing we’ve built and choose to keep building on it for decades to come.”

It took the journalists a few minutes to figure out what the hell Kristie was talking about, but when they did they made a bee-line to Ashlyn’s table. Poor Ifeoma Onumano, one of their rookie forwards who was assigned to share the keeper’s table with her, looked like she wanted to crawl into a hole and die. All of the journalists were talking over each other and asking the same basic question.

“Hold on, hold on” Ashlyn chuckled as she put her hands up and patted the air between herself and the journalists to encourage them to stay calm. Dani, the team trainer, came over to the table to make sure things didn’t get out of control. She told everybody to take a step back and calm down.

“Thanks Dani” Ashlyn grinned up at the trainer. “So, apparently my good friend Kristie is feeling emotional this morning” she craned her neck, trying to see Kristie’s table, and chuckled again. “The truth is I’m feeling very emotional about this team and this game and this whole season too. This is a special group and I’m very proud to be a part of it.”

“Were you offered a spot on the Orlando Pride roster?” someone yelled out again.

“I’m getting there man, I promise.” She smiled and quirked an eyebrow at the journalist she didn’t recognize. “The first thing I have to do is take all the credit that these players have given to me, and give it all to Whitney Engen, our team captain. Yeah, we used my house for team meals, but that was Whit’s idea. We voted her captain for a reason and that’s because she’s the best teammate you’ll ever hope to have. So as much as I appreciate these t-shirts, and how awesome it is that everybody’s wearing one for me today, it all goes back to Whitney. And she’ll deny it, because that’s how great of a person she is. But this team and this season have Whitney Engen’s fingerprints all over it.” Ashlyn took a drink of her water and searched the crowd for a pair of cinnamon eyes that she could use right at that moment. “Now, I’ll talk for a minute about Orlando and then you’ve all got to get back to the other tables like you’re supposed to. This is everybody’s media day, not just mine. Is it a deal?” she gave the large crowd a look and cocked her head in challenge.

“Oh she’s serious” Onumanu piped up from her seat next to the keeper, surprising everyone including Ashlyn when she spoke. “She’s not going to tell you that story until you agree, so you better just agree.”

Everybody laughed at the perfect comedic timing and then agreed.

“I’m from Satellite Beach, and Orlando and Central Florida have always been home to me. So when Orlando started to put together their first roster before last season, I was contacted about coming to play for them. That’s absolutely true. And I appreciated their interest in me and I told them that. But I told my agent not to pursue the deal that would have brought me down here because I wanted to stay in Boston. And that’s all there is to it.”

The journalists waited ten seconds, hoping for more details and then the ruckus started again. Ashlyn sighed and felt her head start to ache. She scanned the faces one more time and finally she saw those beautiful cinnamon eyes. They were smiling back at her from the edge of the crowd, near the exit. Ali nodded her head towards the door and winked.

“Guys, gals, everybody” Ashlyn said loudly and stood up. “I promise, that’s all there is to the story. You can check it with Mr. Rawlins, the owner of both the men’s and women’s teams in Orlando, I’m sure he’s still here somewhere. Now you promised to go back to the other tables. I’m going to excuse myself and let you all do that.” She squeezed Onumanu’s shoulders as she walked behind her. “Every player here has a great story about this season and their journey to get here. Please go listen and write about all of their stories. Please.”

The keeper walked through the door, following her wife’s lead, and then into a smaller room across the hall. She shut the door behind them and wrapped her wife up in a hug, thankful that Ali always remembered not to squeeze her ribs too hard.

“You did great babe” the brunette said into her neck. “Really, you handled that so well.”

“Thanks. But what the fuck Kristie?” Ashlyn wasn’t really mad, but the whole morning had been one surprise after another for the blonde.

“Aw, don’t be too hard on her” Ali said as they pulled apart and sat next to each other on the couch in the room. “I was listening to her when it happened and she just got caught up in it. It was pretty amazing, really. She didn’t mean to cause you any trouble.”

“I know, I just didn’t really need everybody to know even more of my business.”

“Well, judging by the looks on your teammates faces, they were pretty fucking impressed.”

“So who’s idea was the t-shirt thing this morning?”

“Sweet Baby Rose and Ang, but Whit got the coach to agree.”

“What a day” Ashlyn took a deep breath and exhaled loudly. “What. A. Day.”

“Yep. And it’s not even 11am yet.”

//

The championship game was a classic. People thought the playoff games the year before had been special well, this year’s championship battle was epic. But, just like all great games, somebody had to win and somebody had to lose. This game though, it felt like when you watched a really good boxing match or MMA fight or whatever hand to hand combat sport you preferred. When you watch that really good boxing match and both boxers are tired and sore and a little bit cut up. They’re just surviving long enough to hear the bell at the end of the round so they can sit down for a minute and get a whiff of those smelling salts. Then, when one of them finally manages to land a big punch and the other goes down, no matter who you were rooting for originally, you find yourself begging the boxer to get up. Get up. Get up! Don’t let it end this way. Just get up!

That’s what the championship game was like. And everyone, no matter who they were cheering for at the beginning of the game, hated the outcome because one of the two teams had to lose. 

Ashlyn played with extra tight wrap around her chest and special bandages over her puncture wounds. The coach also made her play with one of those flak jacket vests that the NFL quarterbacks wear. Ashlyn hated it but the coach had been adamant. You wear the vest or you don’t play. End of discussion. And then she had gone to Dani to get a shot for the pain that everybody knew was coming. Ashlyn never liked to get those shots, not just because she hated all shots, but because she didn’t like to mask what her body was feeling on the pitch. She relied on her body and it freaked her out to know that part of it was doped up so she wouldn’t feel the pain quite as much.

Portland’s offense pounded Boston’s defense for the entire game. Megan Oyster was available as a sub but there was no way coach was going to use her unless something horrible happened to the rest of the defenders. And Morgan Andrews was on the bench in street clothes and crutches. Angela Salem started and played great, despite her tender ankle. Julie King started at center back and had practiced there for two weeks so the communication with Whitney was really good all game long. Margaret Purce, the rookie forward who had started the previous game but not played very well, was back in the starting line-up again. She played much better than she had in the Chicago game but she still wasn’t nearly as effective as Morgan Andrews had been all season. Coach subbed her out again at halftime for Tiffany Weimer.

It was scoreless through the first half as both teams sort of tested each other out. Ashlyn hadn’t had to make more than one diving save all half. Which was good because she wasn’t sure if she could make another one. The pain was so bad when she landed on her side that she honestly saw stars and thought she was going to pass out for a minute. Whitney was there immediately to help her to her feet. She knew her friend was in pain when she actually let her help her up. Normally Ashlyn would have growled at her and shrugged off the assistance. All of the defenders had met before the game and swore to keep the balls away from their keeper at all costs. And Cat Whitehill knew and agreed with them. The defensive scheme was decidedly more conservative for the championship game. It probably would have been anyway, just because of all of the incredible offensive weapons the Thorns had.

Ashlyn got another pain shot at halftime and took the pitch for 45 more minutes. Ali and the rest of their families could barely watch from their place in the stands. Most of Ashlyn looked normal. Her gait and her voice and her command of the field were all the same. But Ali, and Whitney, could see the fear in her eyes. She wasn’t afraid of the game or the ball or the other players. She was afraid of the pain. Christine Sinclair drilled a ball at the net and Ashlyn jumped up in the air so she could catch it more in her lower abdomen than in her actual stomach and chest. That’s how bad the pain was. She was able to make five or six nice stops like that or by batting the ball away with her fists on a few corner kicks. 

But Portland was just too good. There were too many ways for them to beat the Breakers. There were too many USWNT members on the team. There were too many international players who were the captains of their national teams. There were too many bounces that went their way. It just wasn’t meant to be. The Breakers gave it their all and came up just short, losing 3-2. Most people were surprised the Thorns hadn’t scored more points. But the Breakers played like their lives depended on it. They fought to the death but it just wasn’t their day.

After the game, as the teams were congratulating each other and telling each other what a great game they had played, every member of the Thorns team took an extra minute or two with Ashlyn. All the keeper really wanted to do was get off the pitch and get all of the crap she was wrapped up in off of her. But she knew she had to embrace that moment. It was an amazing moment, even though they had come up on the wrong end of the score. The Breakers had gone from last place in the league last season to losing a nailbiter of a championship final in front of a sold out crowd in one of the nicest stadiums in the league. Lifetime TV aired the game and had done a pregame and halftime show and would be doing a postgame show as well. They wanted Ashlyn to join them on their on-field set for the postgame portion but she just couldn’t do it. She agreed to a quick interview near the bench on her way in to the locker room but that was all she could handle. She was gracious and humble and honest, as usual. She congratulated the Thorns, thanked Lifetime TV for promoting and airing the game and praised her teammates one last time. The tv camera caught some footage of her, immediately after the interview as they were going to commercial break. She was with the trainer and goalkeeper coach and they were helping her out of her jersey and the flak jacket and the extra tight bandage for the puncture wounds. That little snippet had made the rounds on the nightly sports shows and was all over social media. Not because she was undressed, she had her sports bra and the tight under shirt she always wore under her jersey still on, but because it showed how beat up she was. There was blood seeping through her undershirt from her injuries and the grimace on her beautiful face as they helped her with her jersey was enough to show even a casual observer that she was one tough cookie. What they didn’t see was her throwing up from the pain as soon as she got into the locker room. 

There were emotional speeches in the locker room from the coach, the captain, the general manager and finally, Ashlyn. She thanked the team for giving her the strength to play that night. She thanked them for getting her to the championship game in her hometown. She thanked them for making her a better player and a better person. She apologized for letting them down by not playing better and shushed them when they protested.

“Let’s be proud of everything we accomplished this season” the keeper’s voice shook as she spoke. “I’ll never forget it as long as I live. And I don’t know about you, but I can’t fucking wait for next season to start so we can get back to this game again and get the goddamned ending right. Who’s with me?!”

The room erupted with cheers and turned into one big, group hug with attitude and pledges to upgrade their second place medals with the championship trophy next season. Ashlyn locked eyes with Whitney on the other side of the room as everybody jumped around and yelled. The keeper nodded at her best friend and mouthed the words ‘thank you’. Whitney winked back with a lopsided grin that masked all the other emotions she was feeling in that moment. ‘Next year’ she mouthed back.


	30. The Letdown

The flight home to Boston the next morning was delayed while they waited for a part for the plane. As Ali sat in the seat next to Whitney she was so glad that she had decided to splurge and upgrade her own seat to first class. She made Ashlyn take it so she could be a little bit more comfortable on the flight. The keeper had, of course, protested. She finally relented because she really was in a ton of pain. 

“Ma’am, I’m sorry but you’re not allowed to be up here” the flight attendant explained to Ali, for the second time in the hour they had been waiting to take-off. “Please return to your seat.”

“Look, my wife is injured and in pain and uncomfortable. And if you don’t want me up here checking on her then you’d better make sure she has everything she could possibly need. She’s the nice one too, so she won’t ask for anything. You have to ask her.” Ali quirked an eyebrow at the flight attendant as she spoke in a quiet but strong voice. 

Ashlyn groaned a little at her wife’s protective display. Of course she loved that Ali took such excellent care of her, but she sometimes wished there was a lower gear she could shift into. She went from easy-going nice girl to over-protective bitch in one smooth step. The keeper wondered what had happened to the politely concerned gear in the middle. The older man in the window seat next to her chuckled and grinned but never took his eyes off of the book he was reading.

“And find a way to come back and give me updates on how she’s doing or I’ll be back” the brunette continued. “That’s a promise.” 

The surprised flight attendant looked down at the keeper, in the aisle seat, and cocked her head as if she was trying to confirm what Ali had just said.

“What can I say?” Ashlyn shrugged her shoulders and grinned sheepishly at the middle-aged flight attendant. “She loves me.”

//

That week, once they finally made it back to Boston, the players all had their end of season meetings with the coaching staff and then the training staff. By the end of the week everybody was done and officially off the Breakers’ clock until the next preseason in mid-March. The team party was going to be at the big old house that Friday night and then the team would scatter to their homes and loved ones and vacations like they did every year. Thursday was Ashlyn’s birthday so they would be celebrating that milestone as well, even though the blonde begged Whitney not to do it. The team captain explained that it was out of her hands. The team had decided on their own and was making all of the arrangements on their own.

Ashlyn had been instructed to do absolutely nothing that week. The team doctor and trainer and coach had all been very straightforward with the stubborn keeper. It was music to Ali’s ears because she had been wondering how she was going to keep her wife quiet and still that week so she could heal. The keeper’s soccer camp started next week and, for the first time ever, was extended to a second week immediately after. Talk about no rest for the weary. The couple had discussed the possibility of postponing or cancelling at least the first week of camp, but Ashlyn wouldn’t hear of it. It wasn’t like she was playing competitive soccer. She was teaching and coaching and talking and encouraging. She could do that with almost broken ribs. Besides, the kids were all in school so the camps were only the afternoons and evenings, she could rest all morning.

Ali was worried about her keeper emotionally as well as physically. It had been an insanely busy few months, starting with the wedding in August, and there had been so many different emotions that the blonde had dealt with in a short time span. The brunette wanted to give her wife the room she needed so she could process everything and have a little breakdown but she didn’t know how much room that was, exactly. And she wanted to do something special for her birthday too but she knew that would be tricky timing. Ali didn’t want to give the keeper anything extra to worry about. Her gut was telling her that Ashlyn wanted and needed some quiet time at home more than anything else. And when they finally talked about it on Tuesday the blonde was clear about what she needed.

“I promise honey, I don’t want to do anything this week. Please” Ashlyn looked up at her wife from her spot on the living room couch with pleading eyes. “I swear, I don’t even want to do the party. But I know we have to.” She reached out to take Ali’s hand as she stood next to the couch chewing her bottom lip. “Please let’s just hide out this week. Can we do that?”

Ali considered the request and knew it was the right thing to do. She felt so guilty though because Ashlyn was always doing amazing things for her birthday. The huge party last year and then the surprise trip to Bermuda this year...Ashlyn always seemed to get the short end of the stick and it bothered the brunette. But her own instincts were telling her the same thing her wife was actually telling her.

“Ok babe. Whatever you want” she leaned down and kissed the blonde’s lips lightly. “But I’m making it up to you somehow.”

And that was that. Ashlyn spent the rest of the week on the couch with the puppies or in bed, depending on her mood. And her mood was very fickle that week. She was quiet and sullen for a few hours at a time but then pulled herself out of it enough to eat dinner with Whitney and Ali. When she was in one of those moods she went to the bedroom for privacy and to protect the people she loved from any mood splatter that might splash off of her. Ali was prepared to give her the space she needed. But she didn’t want to let her actual birthday on Thursday go uncelebrated. She wasn’t sure what to do so she bit the bullet Wednesday night when they had just settled into bed.

“Can I ask you something?” Ali asked as she snuggled into her keeper’s left side.

“Sure” the blonde replied softly, giving her wife’s shoulder a little squeeze.

“I know we’re hiding out this week but I’d like to do something for your birthday tomorrow. I don’t mean we have to go somewhere or do something. I just want to do what you want to do. So, um, can you please tell me what you want to do tomorrow so I can make sure it happens?” Ali’s voice was small and a little nervous.

Ashlyn sighed deeply and kissed the top of the brunette’s head before she answered.

“I’m sorry honey. I don’t really want to do much. I just want to unplug and be perfectly still and lazy as fuck this week. I’m sorry.”

Ali leaned up on her elbow. “Ash, you don’t have to be sorry. That’s what I mean. I’m not trying to get you to do something. You’ve earned this break babe, and then some. I just, you know, want tomorrow to be the best it can be for you. Whatever it is that you want. That’s all. Does that make sense?”

“Yeah, it does” Ashlyn smiled softly and pulled her wife down so she could kiss her lips. “I love you so much Al. I know this is hard for you and I appreciate you letting me have this week. Really, it means so much that I can just be the slug that I need to be and know that you won’t judge me for it. At least not forever anyway.” She chuckled a little nervously as she finished.

“Self-care is one of the smartest things you can do honey. It’s easy to say and hard to actually do for most people. I’m glad you know what you need and are smart enough to listen to that.” Ali caressed the keeper’s face as she talked, ghosting her fingers all around her cheeks and chin and forehead. “So tell me what your perfect day would be for tomorrow.”

Ashlyn thought for a long few minutes. It was so long that Ali got back into her position, tucked into her left side. She moved her hand gently across the blonde’s chest and shoulders and abdomen as she waited for the answer.

“I’d like to watch some more ‘Ray Donovan’ episodes with you, if you have time.”

“Of course sweetheart, that’s exactly why I’m asking” Ali answered and pressed a warm kiss into her keeper’s shoulder.

“And maybe a Hitchcock movie too. And I want to take the dogs to the beach.”

Ali was thrilled with that answer because Ashlyn hadn’t left the house since she came home from her Breakers’ meetings on Tuesday. Progress was definitely being made. 

“And I want to take a nap. And maybe spend some time in the studio. And can we play some Playstation do you think?”

“Oh, ok, you want me to play with you?” Ali was surprised because the blonde hadn’t wanted much company in the past two days. In fact, this was the most they had talked since they got home on Monday. 

“Well, yeah” Ashlyn replied with a small shrug. “I want to do all of those things with you. Is that ok?”

“It’s more than ok Ash, it sounds wonderful.”

And that’s what they did for the blonde’s 32nd birthday. They spent the morning watching ‘Ray Donovan’ and playing ‘Call of Duty’ on the PS4. Then Ali made her Gram’s mac and cheese for lunch and they shared it and the ice cream birthday cake for dessert with Whitney. They took the dogs for a walk and a quick splash at the beach and then came home for a nap. The nap turned into a pretty heated make-out session once they both woke up. Ali was dying to have sex with her gorgeous wife but the rib injury had proven to be a major libido killer for the blonde. And the mini wave of depression and exhaustion certainly didn’t help either. They hadn’t had sex since before the keeper’s injury in the semi-final game, almost three weeks ago, and it was starting to get to the brunette. It was now their new longest streak of no sex. A dubious record that they both despised. They had tried to have sex in Orlando, early in championship week, but right when things were getting really good, Ashlyn had to stop because of the pain in her ribs. They had ended up settling for holding each other and getting themselves off which was better than nothing but still not nearly enough.

The brunette was lost in the passion of their post-nap kissing and groping. She rolled on top of her wife without even thinking of her ribs.

“Ooof” Ashlyn groaned quietly and Ali rolled back off immediately, her chest heaving and her eyes big.

“Oh my God. I’m so sorry honey” the brunette was aghast at what she had done. “God, I can’t believe I did that. I can’t believe I was so stupid. Are you ok?” 

“I’m ok Al, it’s ok.” Ashlyn tried to soothe her upset wife. “You didn’t hurt me.” She smiled at the concern creased across Ali’s beautiful face. “I promise.”

Ali sighed loudly and rolled onto her back, resting her head on her own pillow with her hands clasped loosely above her head and closed her eyes. Her chest was still heaving from the hot make-out session as well as the panic that she had hurt her injured keeper. Ashlyn rolled towards her and lay on her left side, resting her hand on Ali’s taut stomach and making her flinch at the contact.

“You ok?” she asked as she leaned up on her elbow and admired her beautiful brunette’s body from head to toe. “Al?”

Ali turned her head and opened her eyes to look at her wife. She took a couple of minutes and just looked over every inch of Ashlyn’s beautiful face, her own frustrated expression never changing.

“I went four years without anybody else touching me. And now I can’t go three weeks without losing my Goddamned mind?” She rolled her eyes and gave her head a frustrated shake. “I’m sorry Ashlyn.”

“Don’t be sorry. I’m flattered as hell. That’s the best birthday gift ever, right there” Ashlyn grinned down at her wife. “And I want to have sex with you just as bad baby, trust me.” She moved her hand closer to the spot near Ali’s left hip and lowered her eyes, unable to meet her wife’s gaze. “I really want to, you know that, right?”

“I guess so” Ali started. “I don’t know, it doesn’t matter. You can’t so it doesn’t matter anyway. And my feelings aren’t hurt hon, that’s not the problem” she chuckled ruefully.

“I’m scared it will hurt too much” the keeper explained in a quiet voice, eyes still not meeting Ali’s.

“I know. It’s ok. It probably will hurt” she sighed and brought her hand down to play with Ashlyn’s hair. “We should have had sex right before your game. You were feeling pretty good then. Damn.”

“I’d like to try though, can we try?” the keeper asked, finally raising her eyes up to meet her favorite whiskey colored ones.

“Ash, I don’t think it’s a good idea. I’ve already proven that I can’t control myself around you and I’d never forgive myself if I hurt you.” 

The brunette tried to push the images of her wife’s naked body from her mind. She was being barraged with sexy flashes of the places she wanted to bury her tongue and her fingers and her face. 

“Think of how much good the endorphins will do me” Ashlyn tried again. “Maybe that was the problem all along. Maybe we should have been having sex every night. I would have healed up real quick then” she winked at the brunette and moved her fingers to the spot by Ali’s left hip.

“Don’t” the brunette warned and moved the keeper’s hand away. “I’m having a hard enough time getting control of myself right now.”

But the blonde was undeterred. She felt so much better than she had all week. Her ribs still fucking killed, but everything else felt better. Her heart and her mind. That’s the effect spending time with Ali always had on her. Ali was her own personal wonder drug and she always had been. She threw her leg over the brunette’s thighs and scooted closer, drawing a wild-eyed look from her wife.

“Ash, what the fuck?”

“It’s my body and I get to decide what to do with it. And it’s my birthday. Are you really going to deny me birthday sex?” Ashlyn was doing that impossible thing where she was sexy and adorable at the same time and it nearly killed the brunette. “Please Ali. Pretty please? If it hurts too much we’ll stop, I promise.”

“Well I don’t want to stop. That’s the problem.”

“We can do what we did in the hotel in Orlando then. You should be able to have a good orgasm no matter what. C’mon.”

Ashlyn had moved her hand underneath the hem of the brunette’s t-shirt. Her fingers were making slow circles around her stomach and inching their way back towards the sweet spot. She could see Ali’s stiff nipples through the t-shirt and felt a pang in her core. She leaned down and nudged the nipple on Ali’s right breast with her nose a few times, loving the moan that escaped the brunette’s lips.

“Jesus” Ali breathed out and closed her eyes.

An hour later they lay naked and tangled and sweaty with huge grins on their faces. Ashlyn had given Ali two orgasms, asking for help on the second one when it had become too painful to keep thrusting so hard. And the brunette had helped her wife to one orgasm, both of them very nervous throughout. The blonde had reached her plateau but the ride had been shortened by the pain. She came, but there was no riding anything out. Ashlyn had pushed the brunette’s hands away as soon as the orgasm hit her. It felt wonderful, but then the pain followed quickly as her body shook and convulsed. But it hadn’t been as bad as either of them had feared. Overall they were both happy and relieved with the results. It was wonderful to be naked and in each other’s arms again. They caressed bare skin and kissed soft lips as they snuggled together.

“Thank you honey, for trusting me” Ashlyn whispered into her wife’s ear.

“Happy Birthday my love.”

//

The team party was much more low-key than in years past, which was odd because they actually had so much to celebrate this year. Everybody was still too disappointed and angry about the loss to do any hardcore partying. The evening really felt more like a casual birthday party for thirty people. Ashlyn put on a brave face the whole evening. She really was feeling more social, thanks to the ministrations of her wife the day before, both before and after their nap. They sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to their keeper and watched her try and get a breath big enough to blow all 32 candles out.

“You had to put 32 fucking candles on here did ya?” she muttered as she had to take a second breath to get them all out. “Couldn’t have just used a 3 and a 2?” she quirked an eyebrow at her teammates and then winked when she saw the concern and regret on their faces. “I’m just kidding, relax” she laughed. “You’re worse than my wife!”

Ali hated when she did that. When Ashlyn made light of the worry and concern she felt for the blonde. She gave the keeper a pass on that one though because she knew Ashlyn felt self-conscious and still a little vulnerable that night. The blonde wasn’t ready for public consumption yet. Ali could carry a little extra bullshit if it helped the love of her life get through a few hours of a party she didn’t really want in the first place.

They all enjoyed cake and ice cream and then, before they spread out into smaller groups throughout the first floor, Julie King cleared her throat and Rose Lavelle and Brooke Elby scurried into the front parlor and came back with a beautifully wrapped gift box.

“Happy Birthday Keep” Julie began. “We’ve loved you all season long and we wouldn’t have done a damned thing this year without your strong and steady voice screaming at us from behind.” She acted out some of Ashlyn’s most common gestures and faces from the pitch as everybody, including the keeper, laughed. “What Kristie said at media day, about you choosing to come back here instead of going to the sweet set-up in Orlando where you could have played in front of your family, well, that blew a lot of young minds around here.” Julie looked around the room and let everybody settle down. “Those of us that have been around a while, we know how special this season was and how special this team is. And we all just wanted to give you a little keepsake of it. We love you Ash. Happy Birthday!”

Before she opened the gift Ashlyn held her hands up to get the eager women to quiet down for a minute.

“Thanks guys, I really appreciate everything you’ve done for me over the past few weeks, but I’m not dying. I’m not going anywhere” she chuckled as she moved her eyes around the room, looking at each woman for a second. “But I’ve got to make one thing really clear to you all. This is my home. I have family up here too. You all are my family now too. I knew it was the right decision for me then and I know it even more now” she smiled at her wife. “But I don’t want to hear about it anymore ok? It’s the past and I’m focused on the future. I can’t wait to see what this team will do next season.” Ashlyn got a little choked up. “So thank you all, for being the awesome weirdos that you are and for sharing that with me and the rest of us. I love you guys.”

She opened the present and gasped when she saw an 8-1/2 x 11” photograph of the team, nicely matted and framed. But it wasn’t the official team photo or even one of the dozens of media shots from championship week that they had posed for. Ashlyn had never seen the photo before. It was a shot of the team in the locker room after the last game of the regular season, the win over Orlando at home. The players were all in different states of undress, but nobody was naked or anything. They were all smiling and laughing and celebrating their first winning season in years. The blonde remembered the moment as she looked at the picture in her hands. Ashlyn and Whitney had been about to give their postgame talk, and everyone else was in a rough semi-circle around them. Dani, the trainer, had stood up on a chair and yelled for them all to turn around real quick and say cheese for a picture. And that’s what they had done. But it captured everything swirling around the locker room in that moment perfectly. Looking at that picture was like finding a fossil in a stone. You were immediately transported back to that far away time and place as you looked at the perfectly preserved artifact. The photograph had somehow managed to show each player’s personality as they stood there, arms draped across shoulders and flung around waists. It was one of the best photos Ashlyn had ever seen and she knew it would hang on her wall forever.

//

And it hadn’t happened the way she had wanted it to, but Ashlyn finally got her wish. She got Ali to come and help her out at her soccer camp. The keeper had her usual helpers, without whom she couldn’t do the soccer camp in the first place - Kristie and Sam Mewis, Stephanie McCaffrey, Whitney Engen, and Niki Cross. But this year she was doing two weeks so she had to get more help and spread her friends out because they couldn’t all do two weeks. Ashlyn enlisted the help of Ken Krieger and his step-sons Tanner and Koty for the week that the Sporting Chic ladies couldn’t be there. Losing the USWNT player Sam Mewis was a blow to the camp but anyone who knew anything about soccer knew what a boon it was to get Ken Krieger to coach up your kid at a soccer camp. Ashlyn couldn’t take her eyes off of her wife though. Ali was there for both weeks, helping the blonde run the show. When all the red tape had been taken care of each afternoon, the brunette made her way over to some of the groups and watched the drills they were running. The kids in the first week were the beginners, ages 7-10. The second week was for the older kids, ages 10-14. It hadn’t taken long for Ali to jump in and help with the kids themselves. She started quietly making little corrections to technique and posture from her spot on the sidelines, waiting for the camper to get close enough to her for the interaction. But within a couple of hours she was right on the field with them, giving instructions and encouragement like all of the other ‘coaches’. Ashlyn honestly hadn’t thought it was possible, but she fell even more in love with her beautiful and talented wife that day.

“So what did you think about camp today” she had asked the brunette that first night as they were getting ready for bed. “Did you have fun?”

“It was fun, yeah” Ali replied as she spread moisturizer around her face in the mirror.

The truth was, the brunette’s head had been spinning all day. She had avoided situations like soccer camps for years because they brought up too many painful memories and emotions that she didn’t want to deal with. Much like having to go back in time with Mattie to work through the damage her relationship with Emily had caused her, Ali knew she had unfinished business with soccer. She made an appointment to meet with the therapist later in the week to start the work she knew it would take for her to make peace with her dashed soccer dreams. 

“Are you ok? Was it too much?” Ashlyn’s voice was full of concern.

“Yeah, I’m ok” the brunette flashed a small smile, recognizing the tenderness in her wife’s voice.

The blonde wiped her hands on the towel and then stood behind Ali, holding her from behind and kissing her neck softly.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“I do, but I have so much going on in my head right now” she looked at her wife in the mirror and turned her cheek to the side so Ashlyn would kiss it. “I understand now that I’ve just pushed all of that soccer stuff down. Like I did with Emily. And if I want to be able to, you know, coach my kid someday, then I’m going to have to dig through it all.” She sighed.

“I’m sorry if my camp made you think about that if you weren’t ready to honey.”

“No, it’s all me. I should have dealt with this a long time ago but I was a chicken.”

“Can I tell you how much I love that you’re willing to do that so you can coach our kids?” Ashlyn pressed her lips to her wife’s neck and closed her eyes for a minute. “I love you so much.”

The rest of the two weeks of camp went by faster and slower than Ali wanted. She found it easier to work with the younger campers. She wasn’t sure why, but the older the soccer players were the harder it was for her to engage with them. Ali was perfectly capable of teaching them everything they would need to know, but she couldn’t connect with them. She was polite and kind, but she may as well have been a robot. Like any recovery from injury, as the muscles and tendons and ligaments healed and reshaped and reformed there was pain and discomfort. During the second week, with the older campers, Ashlyn watched her wife withdraw even more. She still did her part, and did it well, but the keeper could see that it was just a job for her to do, just a task for her to complete. The blonde regretted getting Ali involved, her heart breaking at the thought of her strong wife being struck down again by her own demons. 

One evening Ashlyn climbed the back stairs and put the puppies in their crates for the night. Ali had gone to bed earlier, leaving Whitney and Ashlyn talking and laughing in the living room, and the keeper expected to see her in bed already. But the covers had been pushed back as if the brunette had been in bed but had gotten up. Ashlyn got the puppies settled and then heard the shower running, answering her question for her. She changed into her pajamas and knocked on the bathroom door, hoping she could go in and get ready for bed. She waited for a few minutes but the knock went unanswered.

“Baby?” she asked as she opened the door and stuck her head in the room. “Can I come in?”

She went in anyway, closing the door behind her.

“Aww honey...”

Ali sat on the floor of the shower, naked, hugging her shins and crying into her knees. The blonde stepped into the shower and sat down next to her wife, facing Ali’s side. She opened her arms and pulled the brunette into her chest and held her. 

“Talk to me Al” she encouraged as she kissed her wet head. “Tell me what you’re feeling.”

It took a couple of minutes before the brunette spoke and when she did it was a hoarse cry.

“All I ever wanted since I was a little girl was to play soccer” she sobbed. “That’s all I dreamed about. I wanted to be the best and play at the highest level and I worked my fucking ass off to get there.” She stopped and cried for a few more minutes, her whole body wracking in Ashlyn’s arms. “Why did that asshole have to break my leg? Why? Why the fuck did it have to be me?!”

Ashlyn knew that darkness well. She knew there was nothing for her to say. She knew there was nothing for her to do but to be there and do her best to support her grieving wife. She knew that she was mourning the loss of her dream, the loss of her future, the loss of her very identity. The keeper also knew that underneath the grief was an enormous amount of fury and rage. Ashlyn knew it because she had gone through it herself with her streak of injuries in college. And by the time the third ACL tear threatened everything she had worked so hard for, the keeper was dangerously close to throwing everything away and going down a dark path familiar to so many of her family members. In her case it had been Whitney who had held her and supported her and loved her back from the edge of despair.

“Why? It’s so unfair...so fucking unfair...” Ali cried out, softly now. 

Ashlyn felt her wife’s body go limp in her arms as she tried to catch her breath and slow down her crying. In another few minutes Ali had calmed down and wrapped her arms around her strong keeper’s waist, nuzzling into her neck. Ashlyn never said a word. She just held her girl close and loved her.


	31. November Whirlwind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In part of this chapter Ali tells Ashlyn the story of her friend's mother who lost her long fight with metastatic breast cancer. Just a heads up. It's based on a true story and a little bit graphic in the description of the cancer treatment. So if that's too much for you, maybe skip that small part towards the end.

Somehow, when the calendar turned to November, things changed. It wasn’t just that the weather had gotten colder and the days had gotten shorter. Whitney had gone home to California. Sydney and Dom were trying to find their way as new parents. Fred and Persey were officially not puppies anymore, each hitting their one year birthday. Ashlyn called that age the ‘teenager’ years for dogs. They weren’t full grown but they weren’t puppies anymore either. They were gangly and still awkward but figuring things out and learning to control their bodies and their urges and their actions. That November felt like somebody turned a page in the book and an entire chapter ended. 

The first two weeks of November were supposed to be time off for the newlyweds. They had originally toyed with the idea of taking their honeymoon then, but had wisely decided to wait until the quietest month of the year for both of them, January. It was a good thing too, because the Ellen show wanted Ashlyn and Hilary to come and tape their episode during the second week of November. Ashlyn had worked her way out of her funk, the two weeks of soccer camp helping her remember why she loved the game in the first place. And Ali had found herself meeting with Mattie as a result of the soccer camp, at the precipice of a new journey to help recover another part of herself that she had walled off in self-defense. 

After the championship game, Ashlyn’s agent had agreed to end his contract two months early. There were no hard feelings on either side. Greg thanked Ali for helping him do his job all year. The brunette practically bit her tongue off to stop from asking him to give back the 3% he had been paid for all of the endorsements she had won for her wife that year. But, as always, she took the high road. It wasn’t his fault that she hadn’t been confident or decisive enough to make the change sooner. Everything happened in its’ own time or something like that, she told herself and swallowed the bile in her throat when she thought about how much money she had earned for Greg.

Knight-Harris had its’ own official, experienced agent now too. Whitney and Ashlyn’s college friend, Jennifer, who was also Whitney’s agent, had agreed to join the company. She had come up to visit and meet with the three women during the first week of soccer camp and had been very impressed with the set-up. Not the physical set-up, that was still just Ali’s office on the third floor. But the organization and structure that was already in place told Jennifer that they were serious about the company and doing everything they could to get it growing and thriving. Knight-Harris expected, realistically, to represent dozens of UNC graduates starting that off-season. And then there were all of the Boston Breakers players and Boston Pride players that were eager to sign with the company as well. The Sporting Chic ladies were still on board, not quite able to go out on their own yet. And they spread the word to their NWSL teams about Knight-Harris and their mission to represent female athletes and help grow the league and the game in both sports. Stephanie McCaffrey took their story to her Chicago Red Stars teammates and Sam Mewis took it to her North Carolina Courage teammates. Tobin Heath had quickly agreed to stay with Jennifer, more than thrilled that her close friend and teammate from college had started a company that spoke so loudly to her own beliefs and desires. Christen Press was the first big name signing that wasn’t a carry-over from Jennifer in the first place. Somewhere between Stephanie McCaffrey and Tobin Heath’s influence, one of the most popular and talented USWNT players had seen the Knight-Harris light. They currently had seven women from the USWNT signed and four or five other players who were on the bubble for call-ups. They had just as many national team players for US hockey too. Hilary Knight’s teammates were eager to support her new company once they heard that it was a serious operation and not just some whimsical thing that the athletes were trying to do in their downtime. Ali relied on Jennifer and her own father for advice on looking into a couple of new agents who might be a good fit for the company early in 2018. Ali knew she would be busy getting her MBA and she was not going to allow any of the athletes who had signed with them to be underserved by the company. She would postpone her MBA before she let that happen. Jared brought in some friends who were IT experts as consultants and the company hired them as needed to take care of whatever Jared said needed taking care of to keep the company’s systems up and running 24/7. The next big challenge for the company would be to find an office space that they could use that would be nice enough to impress prospective and current clients but not break their fiscal budget in a single month. 

The other thing that had changed was Gram’s health. None of the Harrises had actually talked about it out loud yet, but it was on all of their minds. She was obviously suffering from something but she hadn’t told anyone yet. Ashlyn and Chris had agreed to confront her about it later that month when Ali and Ashlyn visited Satellite Beach for baby John’s christening and Thanksgiving. And the keeper wasn’t talking about it with Ali either, but the brunette knew that Gram’s health had been part of Ashlyn’s depression after the championship game. Gram had come to the game but hadn’t made any of the other trips to Orlando that other family members had made during the week-long build up. Everyone was just putting it off until the visit later in Thanksgiving. The old woman was a tough fighter and they hoped that she would be able to beat whatever was trying to take her down.

//

The Ellen Show turned out to be a huge success and a lot of fun. The show paid them to fly to LA and put them up in a nice hotel for two days while they taped the show. Ali went with Ashlyn, her first official gig as her agent. Hilary met them there with one of her national team teammates and they had a blast checking out some of the hot spots in town. Kyle had lots of friends in LA and he had told them where to go and what to see while they were visiting the area. The show itself was emotional but wonderful. Ellen brought Hilary and Ashlyn out together and they talked about how their friendship had started and how the Betty Sue commercials had kicked the whole thing off. Ashlyn gave Ali the credit she deserved, earning some good-natured teasing from both Ellen and Hilary for sounding like such a lovestruck newlywed. The keeper blushed and took it in stride, coming off as the romantic softie that she really was, for all the world to see.

The segment turned to the ‘women helping women’ portion and Ellen brought out both Marjorie and Rosalyn, the younger woman that Hilary had helped, to join the two athletes and talk about that cold evening back in April. Rosalyn and Hilary hadn’t kept in touch, their exchange on Marathon Monday hadn’t been as long or as emotional as Ashlyn and Marjorie’s. Rosalyn told her story and tried to explain what a lift it had been to have Hilary by her side at that particular time of the race. She flat out said that she didn’t think she would have finished without her support. And then it was Marjorie’s turn. Ellen and the old woman from Maine hit it off immediately and their talk was funny and endearing and touching. Marjorie reminded Ashlyn of her own Grandma Lilian because she was stoic and sort of all-business. It was that Puritan aesthetic that felt so familiar to the blonde. Ellen got a kick out of it too.

“Well you know,” Marjorie leaned forward and lowered her voice conspiratorially. “I never knew anybody gay before her, except for you” she said, nodding at the talk show host.

“Oh right and we go waaaay back” Ellen teased playfully, making everybody laugh.

Marjorie talked about how Ashlyn changed her life by helping her get across that finish line.

“She could have just carried me across, but she...she just knew that wasn’t what I wanted.” The old woman smiled admiringly at the keeper sitting next to her and sweetly holding her hand. “We just connected out there in the dark and she saw right into my heart and knew what to do to help me.” Marjorie got choked up. “I’ll never be able to thank her enough.” 

Ellen asked her a few other questions about running a marathon and why someone her age would do that in the first place. She came back to the fact that Marjorie and Ashlyn had kept in touch since the race.

“So do you run down from Maine to go to her games or how does that work?” Ellen jokingly asked.

Marjorie chuckled. “We’re old fashioned, we talk on the phone. And my son and I went to their wedding. Oh, that was such a beautiful wedding” she clucked and shook her head as she remembered the day with a smile. 

Ellen put a picture up of Marjorie with the happy couple on their wedding day and the audience awwwed and applauded as Ashlyn smiled and blushed. 

“Did you know that it was Ali’s idea in the first place?” the old woman asked Ellen as the clapping died down.

“What was? The wedding?”

“No, to have Ashlyn help us out on the course” Marjorie clarified as she looked up at the picture and smiled again.

“Really?” Ellen asked and looked at the blonde for confirmation.

Ashlyn squirmed a little bit because she hadn’t expected this to come up and she wasn’t sure how Ali wanted her to handle it. She only paused for a minute before she told Ellen the truth about Ali’s volunteering at the marathon and her love for the stragglers.

“Isn’t that sweet?” Marjorie commented. “She calls us the stragglers. She’s just as sweet as can be too. I thought this one was as nice as it was possible to be and then I met Ali.” She rolled her eyes. “You’ll never meet better people” she said definitively, her Maine accent making it more of a proclamation than a conversational statement.

“So now you know three gay people” Ellen deadpanned and was relieved when Marjorie laughed along with Ashlyn at the joke.

“Wow, that’s amazing. What a wonderful story. I know we’re all glad that you two ran the race and didn’t give up even though you were injured” Ellen started to wrap things up. “And I know these two are glad that you guys were there for them that night. It just seems like it was supposed to happen that way, doesn’t it?”

The crowd cheered as they broke for a commercial.

Ellen enjoyed the two athletes so much that she asked them to stick around and do a couple of segments of her games. Before they came back from commercial Ashlyn told the host that she was still recovering from badly bruised ribs so she couldn’t do too much physically. 

“So, we’re getting ready for the games segment” Ellen explains to her audience once they’re taping again. She’s standing between the two athletes on the more open part of her studio stage, nearer to Twitch, the DJ. “And Ashlyn tells me that she’s still recovering from some badly bruised ribs so she won’t be able to give it her all if the games are really physical.” She takes a beat and shakes her head at the blonde before telling everyone to look at the screen. The producers had found the footage of the collision back on October 1st and played it for everybody, Ellen and Hilary both winced and groaned when they saw the impact and the Chicago player’s cleat drive viciously into Ashlyn’s midsection.

“So, they won that game, the semi-final, right?” Ellen told the story and looked at the two athletes to make sure she was getting it right. “So you get to the championship game and you actually play in the game after taking that hit and suffering bruised ribs...” she drifted off, waiting for help with the details of the injuries.

“She had puncture wounds from the cleats that actually tore through her jersey and her undershirt, and cuts all along her side” Hilary offered helpfully. “In addition to severely bruised ribs.” 

“So how in the world did you play in the championship game the next week?” Ellen asked, her eyes wide in disbelief.

“It was actually two weeks of recovery time” the keeper clarified. “There’s no way I could have played after only one week. They hadn’t healed at all in just one week.”

Ellen looked at her with her eyes still wide and urged her to continue. “Do we have that other clip?” she asked the producer.

They showed a couple of Ashlyn’s saves from the championship game and then the footage from the end of the game where the camera caught her being helped out of the flak vest and extra wrappings.

“I mean, I can’t even imagine getting out of bed like that and you went and played 90 minutes of professional soccer, in a championship game?” Ellen’s jaw dropped as she finished talking.

“They say women’s bodies are geared to withstand more pain, that’s how we can give birth” Hilary chimed in. “I give you exhibit A” she grinned and made a big deal out of pointing at Ashlyn like she was showing off a game show prize package.

“Well, that’s the joke isn’t it” Ellen asked quickly. “But it’s not really a joke. That the women are so much tougher and that’s why a lot of people watch women’s soccer instead of men’s soccer. Because the men bump into each other and flop around like they’re trying to win an academy award. Meanwhile, the women play tough and hard but get right up after some of the collisions and just keep playing.”

Ashlyn didn’t say anything because she didn’t want to tick off any of her friends in the MLS, but she couldn’t keep the shit-eating grin off of her face.

“She won’t say it” Hilary offered with a grin of her own. “But yeah, you got it right Ellen.”

//

A week and a half later Ashlyn and Ali were in Gram’s church in Satellite Beach holding their godson as he was baptized at his christening ceremony. Baby John was 3-1/2 months old and pretty freaking cute. He wore a handmaid christening gown that Gram had worked on all summer. It wasn’t too gown-y, as open minded as Chris was, he still didn’t want his son to wear a dress if he didn’t have to. Beth had explained that it was part of her family’s tradition and since they had been married and were baptizing their son in the Harris family’s United Methodist Church instead of her family’s strict Catholic church, she wanted to put him in a traditional christening gown for her family. The baby cried when the reverend poured the water on his head as part of the baptism ritual. As she held him, Ashlyn secretly thought a real Harris baby would have loved the water instead of crying about it. She would have to work on him to make sure he loved the ocean the way a Harris should. Ali reached over and touched his cheek to tickle him and give him something else to think about instead of the water, and he stopped crying. 

They went out to brunch after the church service, both families coming together for the first time since Chris and Beth’s wedding just over a year earlier. Tammye sat with Beth’s parents and tried to make a connection between the two families. She knew from experience that grandparents were an important part of the family and she really wanted to at least get to the point where they could be civil and polite to each other. They weren’t exactly hostile, but they just sort of pretended the other didn’t exist. Any goodwill that had been achieved in the build-up to the wedding had been destroyed by Ann’s horrible behavior there. Tammye had brought her friend, Carol, with her to the church service and to brunch. 

“Who’s mom’s friend?” Ashlyn asked her brother from their seats at the next table over. “I don’t recognize her.”

“Oh, that’s Carol, she’s awesome” Chris answered after glancing at their mother’s table. “She helps mom babysit. Johnny loves her.”

Ashlyn pursed her lips as she tried to remember if she had heard of her mom’s friend before. 

“Where’s she from? Why don’t I know anything about her?”

“Well, somebody’s had a pretty busy year with a shit ton of things going on in her life” he teased her. “I think she met her at work. I don’t remember.”

Ali, meanwhile, couldn’t help herself from trying to talk to Ann. She couldn’t think of many reasons why it was a good idea but she found herself standing next to her at the side of the room anyway. 

“Hi Ann, it’s nice to see you again” she said with a warm smile.

“Oh, hi” the woman was surprised and unsure what to say. “Yeah, you too.”

They looked at each other for almost a full minute.

“He was so good today, wasn’t he?” Ali tried the universal topic of conversation, the baby who was the reason they were all together in the first place.

“Yeah, I can’t believe you got him to stop crying so fast.” Beth seemed like she was actually trying.

“My best friend had a baby in September so I’ve had lots of practice lately” Ali admitted. “But mostly I just guess and hope.” She smiled shyly, happy that Ann hadn’t shut her down yet.

“I hear you guys got married. Congratulations.”

“Oh thank you. Yes, that was...we’re very happy.” Ali’s smile grew. “It seems like forever ago but it was really only three months ago. What a crazy year.”

“And did Beth tell me that Ash is going to be on the Ellen show soon?” Ann’s eyebrows raised to her hairline.

Ali chuckled. “Yeah, we don’t have the exact date yet but probably next week before Ellen starts her big Christmas giveaway shows.”

“That’s amazing” Ann said sincerely.

“So how are you doing? Beth told me you had some big success at work and got recognized for it at the company meeting?”

They chatted on for another fifteen minutes until Ali was called away for pictures of the baby with the godparents. The brunette saw Ann’s face fall when she heard ‘godparents’ and she remembered how worried Chris and Beth had been that summer when they were visiting the big old house. They were afraid of what Ann would do when she learned she wasn’t going to be the baby’s godmother. They had explained that Ann was in therapy and trying to be a better sister and person. The brunette hoped she hadn’t made Ann feel like she was gloating about being the godparents or rubbing her nose in it. Her intention had been just the opposite. She wanted to let Ann know that they could still find a way to be in-laws if she was really making an effort. 

All in all, progress had been made between the two families that day. It wasn’t the signing of a major international treaty, but it had been a productive day of important peace talks. They were on the right road and heading in the right direction.

Ashlyn and Ali stayed at Gram’s that week and did everything they could to help get the house ready for Thanksgiving. Ali brought her laptop and both phones for their week away and worked a lot every day. Most of it was K-H business and she didn’t mind doing that, especially if it was for Ashlyn. The keeper’s ribs weren’t completely healed but they were feeling much better. It had been just over a full month since the championship game and she had truly taken it easy on her body. She wanted to surf so bad but knew she shouldn’t. One bad wave could set her recovery back weeks. The brunette felt so sorry for her wife. Surfing really, truly was good for her soul and it helped every part of her being get and stay centered. Ali offered to let her keeper continue teaching her that week instead, but only if it would be good for Ashlyn and not cause her unnecessary suffering. 

The blonde quickly agreed and the couple went to Ashlyn’s favorite surfing spot every morning for the rest of the week. Ali was getting better. She just had to string a whole bunch of surfing days in a row and she would be able to see some real progress. By Wednesday morning that week she had gotten up on a few waves and managed to ride a couple of them all the way in. She wasn’t doing any cutbacks or anything yet, but for the first time in two years she felt like she might yet get the hang of surfing. She paddled back out and sat next to her girl, bobbing gently on her own board. Ashlyn had a strange look on her face, one Ali wasn’t sure she’d seen before. She looked wistful, and thoughtful and sad but somehow peaceful at the same time.

“You ok babe?” Ali asked as she caught her breath on top of her board. 

“She’s sick Al. Her breast cancer’s back again. She told me this morning, before we left. Fourth fucking time.” 

Ashlyn’s words were flat and heavy and didn’t go at all with the happy, slapping sound of the sea against their surfboards. Ali slipped off of her board and came up next to her wife’s. She tapped Ashlyn’s back to let her know she was coming up and jumped on the back of her board when the blonde scooched forward. Ali pressed her front into her wife’s back and held her tight as the board sank lower into the water under the extra weight. She kissed Ashlyn’s shoulder and watched her own board start to float away, finally tugging on the tether around her ankle. They stayed like that for a long time, just bobbing along and watching the early morning turn into late morning. The keeper finally lifted her arms off of Ali’s, wrapped around her waist. She patted her wife’s arms a couple of times to let her know they needed to get going. Ali kissed her back and shoulders and got one more squeeze in before she slipped back into the ocean to get on her own board and paddle in. She let her keeper have a few minutes to herself out there, but was surprised when Ashlyn fucking surfed a wave in right past her. Thankfully, it had been a good run and she hadn’t done anything too tricky. The brunette gritted her teeth but knew she wouldn’t say anything. Which is exactly why the keeper had done it. She knew Ali would give her that one, on that day.

The cancer was back and it was bad. Gram knew she couldn’t hide it anymore and she had told her family that day, one by one. Ashlyn had been the first, simply because they had shared coffee together on the screen porch early that morning. She had already beaten breast cancer three times, the most recent bout back in 2010 when she was 77 years old. Now she was 84 and facing the beast again. The truth was that Gram hadn’t decided if she was going to fight it this time. She was so sick and tired of fighting this demon time after time. Every time she fought she lost so much of herself in the process. It was an impossible decision to have to make though. Every time she thought she had made up her mind, something would happen to challenge her resolve. She wanted to live and meet Ashlyn and Ali’s babies, but she knew she probably couldn’t last all the way into 2019 when Ashlyn had told her they would be having their first child. This struggle about whether or not to fight had been why she hadn’t told anybody about it yet. She had gotten the diagnosis back at the beginning of September, right when Ali and Ashlyn had come down to meet baby John for the first time. She’d let almost three months pass by without doing anything because she just didn’t think she had the fight in her. And that was the truth she finally told her family that day before Thanksgiving. She wanted to enjoy the last six months of her life and not be suffering from the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation. 

That night as they lay in Ashlyn’s childhood bed in Gram’s house the two women talked about it. Ali was trying to listen more than talk and she was unsure how best to handle the situation with her sensitive keeper. They had already discussed how terribly sick Gram had gotten each of the other times she had undergone the chemotherapy and radiation and how much the old woman hated it. Ashlyn admitted that Gram had considered not fighting last time too, but it had only been for a fleeting second when she had first received the devastating diagnosis.

“I just don’t know why she wouldn’t fight it again. It doesn’t make any sense to me. That’s not how she raised us. She taught us to fight our guts out for the things that were important to us.” They were both flat on their backs, shoulder to shoulder, holding hands with their fingers linked together on top of the keeper’s hip. “I just can’t believe it. I’m really mad about it.”

“Mad at her?” Ali asked, carefully.

“Yeah, I’m mad at her for quitting. And that makes me even more mad at myself.”

They were quiet again for several minutes and Ashlyn cried some more as she had done off and on for the past couple of hours. She didn’t even bother to wipe the tears away any more, she just let them run down the side of her cheeks and into the pillow.

“Erica’s mom died from cancer in 2013” Ali began softly, unsure if Ashlyn would be able to hear the story she wanted to tell her. “She had beaten breast cancer twice before and hadn’t been sick for almost ten years.” She just decided to keep telling it and hope for the best. There was a chance her keeper would get angry with her for sharing the story but she would just have to risk it. “It came back worse than ever and spread to her bones. She was 63 years old and Erica’s sister had just had her second baby. So she decided she was going to fight like hell, no matter how awful the treatments were. They gave her chemo and radiation and then another round of each. One of the chemo treatments in the last round almost killed her, it was dosed a little high for her weakened state and they had to rush her to the ER to save her life. When she recovered from that round of chemo, the cancer was gone. But not for long. A few months later it came back, even worse than before. It had metastasized and was in her fucking brain this time. So she met with her doctors to find out what the course of treatment was and what her prognosis was. She knew her body couldn’t take much more of either the cancer or the treatment but she didn’t know how to tell her daughters. She was more afraid of letting her girls down than she was of going through the next horrific treatment.”

“What was the treatment for brain cancer?”

“I swear to God Ash, I wish this wasn’t true but every word of this is the truth.” Ali squeezed her wife’s hand and continued with the story. “The plan was to drill a hole in the top of her skull about the size of a dime. This was where they put the port they would use to put the chemo into her brain every time she went in to have her treatment, once a week for six weeks. She listened to the oncologist and the prognosis was that she would live for six months to a year if the treatments in this port worked. And if she didn’t have the treatments she would live for three to six months, maybe a little more or less.”

“What did she do?”

“She said no. She said she didn’t want to do it anymore. She had read about the side effects of putting chemo into your brain, which I won’t tell you about, and she said no thank you. And Erica was angry but she understood. She trusted her mom’s decision, knowing it was the hardest decision any of them would probably ever have to make. But her sister flipped out. She begged her to get the treatments. She begged her to live so she could spend more time with her granddaughters. Erica resented her sister for a long time for that. I think she still probably does. So Erica’s mom agreed to the treatments. She had the hole drilled into her skull and she went in for her chemo once a week, Erica took her, of course. And then she was sick for four days afterwards, each and every time. She felt like half a human being for one day a week, and that was her good day. And it went on for six weeks, each time the side effects got worse and worse. I was there and I saw it with my own eyes Ash. It was horrible. And after the six weeks of treatment she lived for another three months and then died anyway. Erica believes that if she hadn’t done those treatments she would have lived longer and she knows she would have been happier. And I believe her.”

“Well Gram doesn’t have brain cancer...”

“I know she doesn’t sweetheart, I know. And I’m not trying to tell you what to do, I’m really not” Ali tried to explain. “I just wanted you to hear that story because I’ll never forget it as long as I live. And it taught me a lot about letting people decide what’s best for them and honoring their decisions and respecting their wishes. To this day I despise Erica’s sister for putting her own mother through that hell. I’ll never admit that to Erica because it’s been hard enough for her to forgive her sister and they need each other.”

Ashlyn rolled over onto her side to face her wife and snuggled into her side. She threw her leg across Ali’s thighs and nuzzled her head into her neck.

“Why are you telling me this Al, I’m too exhausted to connect all the dots on my own right now.” Her voice wasn’t accusatory or defensive, it was just low and tired.

“I just want you to think about things from Gram’s point of view and not anybody else’s. That’s all. She found out about this three months ago and didn’t do anything about it. That says a lot to me right there.” The brunette paused and kissed Ashlyn’s head softly. “And she may change her mind, you never know. The most important thing, at least in my opinion, is that if you really love her you’ll listen to what she’s saying and respect what she’s decided, even if you don’t always understand it.”

“That’s so hard though.”

“Yes, it sure is honey.”

//

Thanksgiving was awful that year, at least at the beginning. Everybody was sad or angry or a weird combination of both. Ashlyn and Ali did everything, all under Gram’s supervision. Ali had made a deal with her that she would be her hands for the day. All she had to do was tell the brunette what she wanted her to do. Gram sat at the kitchen table and tried to keep the atmosphere light but it was a losing battle. Deb and Mike Christopher and Kyle all arrived Thanksgiving morning and were a nice distraction for the Harrises. Ali had called her mom to explain everything so they knew what they were walking into. She told Deb that she would understand if they decided not to come, but there was no way they were going to miss what was probably going to be Gram’s last Thanksgiving. And Deb reminded Ali that Thanksgiving was Gram’s favorite holiday, at least according to what she had said that Easter they had spent together at Ashlyn’s training camp in Jacksonville. And it was baby John’s first Thanksgiving and should definitely be celebrated. Deb’s optimism rubbed off on almost everybody. Tammye and Beth also listed Thanksgiving as their favorite holiday so they were easy converts. And Ashlyn, with a little nudging from her wife, finally came around too. She didn’t want Gram’s last Thanksgiving to be a sad and morose event.

And that’s how the saddest holiday any of them could remember in years turned back into a day full of love and laughter and family. And Gram sat in her perch at the kitchen table and took it all in. She could see and participate in everything that went on in the kitchen from there. She could also see almost everything in the living room as well. Everybody moved around a lot that day, making the rounds and visiting with Gram for a few minutes at a time, making sure she had everything she needed on their way into or out of the kitchen. They enjoyed a nice meal, not quite as good as Gram usually made but nobody said a word about that. Chris helped Gram upstairs for a nap after they had eaten in the early afternoon. She told everybody that they had better still be there when she woke up because she wanted to whup their butts at cards.

Everybody was there when she woke up and she did indeed whup their butts at cards as they ate leftovers and laughed into the night. As Deb and Mike were getting ready to head over to their hotel for the night Gram pulled Deb into a hug. She didn’t say anything, but Deb and everyone in the room knew what Gram was thanking her for. Deb just smiled and squeezed her back.

“We’ll see you tomorrow” Deb said with a smile. Everybody sleep well.”


	32. Christmastime

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In part of this chapter Ali explains to Ashlyn, generally, how hospice care works and talks about how Deb's parents passed away.

Ashlyn stayed with Gram for the next week too. She and Ali had decided that the keeper should spend as much time as she was able to with her grandmother from that point forward. The brunette wanted to stay too, but she had to get home and take care of the dogs and keep their new company operating for all of their new clients. The keeper had to come home at the end of that week though because Cassius Cruz Dwyer’s christening was that Sunday, December 3rd. Godparents had to attend christenings, that was kind of the rule. Ali and Ashlyn were supposed to go to Noah Cross’ second birthday party two weeks after that. And then the couple was going to visit Meg in DC on their way to Florida for Christmas the week after that. The biggest event coming up, after Christmas, was their honeymoon. They were going to Hawaii on New Year’s Eve for two weeks. It was going to be the first real vacation they would take together and they had been looking forward to it for months. It had also cost a lot of money and when Ali had looked into postponing it she was told there would be a hefty penalty. The brunette hadn’t discussed postponing their honeymoon with her wife yet. She wanted to have some information before she broached the subject.

//

The Dwyer christening in Ipswich, Massachusetts was beautiful. Cash, the nickname they had given baby Cassius, was a gorgeous child and a good baby. For all the trouble he had given his mama during the pregnancy, he was a perfect little human once he was born. The service was in the church Sydney and her mom had been attending almost all of Sydney’s life. Sandy had everybody come back to her house afterwards to spend time with little Cash and enjoy a laid back buffet lunch. It had been almost three months since Sydney had given birth and she was starting to feel like her old self again. She and Dom were exhausted and her body still felt like a stranger sometimes, but she wasn’t miserable all day every day like she had been during the last two months of her pregnancy. She had taken the year off from teaching and coaching and she was happier every day about her decision. After her six month maternity leave she would have gone back in March. Thankfully the school board agreed that her coming back for three months at that point seemed counterproductive. She would have to go without pay for the rest of the year until her coaching duties resumed in August, and that was just fine with the Dwyers. Dom had been a wonderful help with the baby so far. The man was a saint to begin with and he loved his wife like crazy so nobody was surprised to see him be such a hands-on dad to baby Cash. They were a happy, healthy little family and Sydney was happier than Ali could ever remember seeing her. If they could just get some sleep they’d be perfect.

Ali had increased her visits to the new parents as much as possible. She remembered how grateful Chris and Beth had been when she and Ashlyn had taken baby John for the day. Chris told Ashlyn later that all they did was sleep and relax and talk. He explained that he had been at home more than ever but he had never felt farther away from Beth. They were just so tired all the time. And if they slept in shifts that just meant even less time to connect with each other. When Ashlyn had relayed the story to her wife, Ali made a note to try and help Sydney and Dom the same way. The brunette would come to their house and just send them up to bed for a few hours while she played with Cash. If he got so fussy that she couldn’t calm him down then Sydney would get up. But that didn’t happen too much. Ali was good with babies, a real natural. Sydney’s mom had been a huge help too. She did the same thing Ali did and they eventually learned to try and schedule their visits so they weren’t overlapping and wasting them.

//

Ali was glad to have Ashlyn home again. The brunette had flown home from Satellite Beach the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend. She picked up her wife from the airport a week later, the day before the christening, and they spent the rest of the evening snuggling together on the couch with the dogs. Ashlyn cried when she saw them. She had never gone two weeks without them before and she had hated it. Persey was beside herself when the keeper finally came home. The sensitive brindle colored dog made all sorts of new whines and mewls and howls as she greeted the blonde and tried to tell her how much she had missed her. Ali was pretty sure her wife was happier to see the dogs than she was to see her. And for maybe the only time, the brunette was ok with that because she knew that puppy loving was helping to heal up Ashlyn’s aching heart.

They spent the next two weeks doing the Christmas thing in the big old house. Ali had toyed with the idea of getting the house decorated all by herself but had decided to wait for her keeper instead. They put up all of the decorations and the lights in the windows and the garland around the pillars on the outside of the house. They bought a tree and decorated it, adding several new ornaments to their collection, and hung fresh wreaths on the doors. They did their shopping and, for the first time as a married couple, sent out Christmas cards to all of their friends and family. It was a simple photograph card with a holiday theme. The picture was one of the two of them with the two dogs in front of the fireplace with their four stockings and it was adorable. Ali didn’t have time to do much baking so they went back to Ashlyn’s idea from the year before and gave out nice bottles of champagne, with their adorable Christmas Card, to their neighbors instead. They were actually able to meet three more neighbors, the Goldmans, the Evans’, and the McPhails. If you added them to the Riveras and the Barrys they had met last year, and then included old Mrs. Ornstein and the Donaldsons who they actually knew and had invited to their wedding, they now knew everybody on their street. Ashlyn had met their backyard neighbors, the Vitranos and the Woods’, earlier in the spring when she did her due diligence about the fence. There were three other neighbors who abutted the extra lot but they weren’t going to worry about them this year. It seemed like such an inconsequential thing, but Ashlyn really loved the fact that she now knew everybody who lived on her street. She didn’t know most of them very well, but it was a very promising start.

//

The Ellen show had aired the week after Thanksgiving, while Ashlyn was still at Gram’s. The blonde had watched the episode with most of her family gathered at Gram’s house. The segment had turned out great. Marjorie was a natural with a great give and take with Ellen, and everybody could see how Ashlyn doted on her. There was no doubt that they had a real friendship and people responded to both of them. All of Ashlyn’s social media felt the uptick, as did the Knight-Harris accounts. It was just the kind of national media hit Ali had been hoping for and she was ready for it. She and Jared were busy that week and the next trying to capitalize on the boon in popularity. Ashlyn’s next fifteen minutes of fame. And the Betty Sue’s new holiday commercial started airing just before Thanksgiving. For the first time ever, Ashlyn had to rely on the mall security guards to help she and Ali out of a scrum of eager fans while they were Christmas shopping. It was all innocent, but the couple just couldn’t move. They were stuck, surrounded by people who wanted selfies and autographs. Even as they stood there smiling and waiting for assistance to arrive, Ashlyn being her usual awesome, fan-friendly self, Ali patted herself on the back as she took in the many different types of fans that were seeking her wife’s attention. It wasn’t just young soccer playing girls and lesbians of all ages. There were some highschool boys and even a handful of middle aged men stopping to get a look at the beautiful and charismatic blonde. 

// 

During the second of Ashlyn’s two weeks home, Ali attended a very nice going away dinner in her honor. Her company had invited ten of the people Ali was closest with out to a fancy dinner at one of the nicest restaurants on the North Shore. Steven Dudley and most of the managers were also there, as well as the operations manager from the warehouse. It was a diverse group and Ali was proud of herself for building real friendships with so many colleagues who weren’t actually sales reps. It was rare and Steven made mention of it in the little speech he gave midway through the meal. Ali’s last day would be the end of the next week. It was just a formality but she wanted to honor the deal she had made with Steven. She wanted to earn the salary she would be collecting for the month even though she had little to no contact with her customers any more. She would go have her exit interview with the HR lady and turn in her work laptop and phone the week before Christmas and that would be it for her career selling windows and doors. She was moved far more than she thought she would be by the dinner and the people who attended. It was a night she would not soon forget.

//

They attended Noah’s birthday party that Saturday and had a great time catching up with Niki and Molly. Niki and Ashlyn were always talking and texting and keeping in touch, and Molly and Ali did the same but the two couples hadn’t spent much time together and they vowed to fix that in 2018. Ali had been relying on Molly for all kinds of great advice on her MBA. She had been helping the brunette try and figure out what her life would be like next year as she worked full time on the advanced degree. Her perspective and experience had been invaluable to Ali and she knew she would be asking Molly even more questions as she worked her way through the sure to be stressful year ahead.

//

The Tuesday before Christmas, which was on a Monday this year, brought the couple to Hannah’s door for a visit with little miss Meg. The little girl was thrilled to see them both and they spent the rest of the afternoon in Hannah’s apartment catching up on her school and classmates and her soccer team and her basketball team and her reading club. Hannah left after a couple of hours, just staying long enough to make sure everybody was still good with each other, which they were. She was going to finish her shopping and then go out for dinner and a date with Dev while Ashlyn and Ali spent the rest of the afternoon and evening with Meg. They were spending the night in a nearby hotel so they could spend more time with Meg the next day before their flight to Florida. 

Meg brought them both into her bedroom and showed them the box under her bed with all of the letters that Ashlyn had written to her. There were all kinds of weird knick-knacks and trinkets that the keeper had sent to the little girl as well, safely tucked away in the box under the bed. She showed them some of her new favorite books and then her new favorite toys. It had only been four months since they had last seen her but she was talking up a storm and really making some progress in her speech and communication skills. Meg was more than excited to tell them that they would be ordering pizza for dinner and mozzarella sticks with sauce too. After they ate they played a rousing game of Chutes and Ladders and then it was time for a bath and a few books before bed. Ali had planned to let Ashlyn handle most, if not all, of that by herself simply because that’s just how it had usually been done before. Bathtime was fine but when it came time to read before bed, the five year old requested that the brunette join them. The women waited to see what book she picked out and neither of them had been surprised when she tugged ‘The Little Prince’ out of her bookcase and hopped up into her bed between the two of them.

“Thanks Han” Ashlyn said as she hugged her ex goodbye that night. “Do you know what she wants to do tomorrow? She wouldn’t tell us, just said it was a surprise. But I want to look it up tonight so...”

Hannah’s laughter cut the blonde off.

“Oh Ash, she wants to go to the zoo again. It’s hardly a surprise. She wants to get them to start having puppies at the zoo, so be forewarned” the redhead giggled. “I think the surprise might be that you’ll be showing it to Ali? I’m not sure though.”

Hannah was right. They picked Meg up Wednesday morning, Ashlyn thanking Hannah again for keeping her home from school that morning, and went to the zoo. Meg was very excited to share their special place with the brunette and Ali played right along. They ate lunch at the zoo and then stopped in the gift shop for their usual stuffed animal for Meg. After the zoo they went back to Hannah’s and gave the little girl her Christmas presents. One gift was from Ashlyn and Ali but there were two little silly gifts from Persey and Fred. Meg was delighted that the dogs had thought of her but her happiness soon turned to sadness.

“But mama, I don’t have a present for Pers or Fred?”

“Hey that’s ok Meggie” Ashlyn intervened. “You know what I think they’d love?”

“What?” the toddler asked quickly, on the verge of having a breakdown.

“I think they would love it if you could draw them each a picture. Then you and Mama can mail it up to us and we’ll hang them up right next to their beds for them. What do you think?”

“Yeah! Good idea Ashyun.”

Ali was pleased to see a few pictures of Ashlyn and Meg around the apartment. It seems that once Dev met the keeper and realized there was nothing weird going on the restraints had come off of the relationship. Hannah felt comfortable putting things like those pictures up for her daughter. 

Before they knew it, it was 4pm and time for them to go to the airport. Meg cried as they said goodbye and it broke Ashlyn’s heart. They spent a few minutes trying to soothe her and finally Hannah just had to pick her up and hold her as she cried. 

“Shhhh, it’s ok sweetie. You’ll see them again soon, ok?” Hannah cooed into her ear as she rubbed her back and swayed her back and forth on her hip. “And you can talk to them on the phone and we can Facetime them on Christmas maybe even.”

“That’s a great idea” Ashlyn chimed in. “It’s a date baby girl. And remember, you have to be a good girl so Santa comes and brings you presents, right?”

“Ah-huh” she nodded her red little face. 

They got her smiling with a few more reminders of how easy it was to stay in touch and then they left the apartment and didn’t look back. Ashlyn walked fast so she could get some distance between the apartment door and the elevator. She didn’t want to hear Meg crying again.

//

The run-up to Christmas was more fun than anybody expected it to be. But they had to get past the elephant in the room first. Gram’s condition was worse. In the month since Ali had last seen her, the old woman had slowed down considerably. She had an oxygen tank that she kept by her chair at the kitchen table and another one next to her bed for when she needed some help breathing. She rarely left the house anymore. If she had help from Mike or Chris and she could muster the strength, she went to church on Sunday morning. But that was it. Mike did all of her grocery shopping for her and cleaned her house and tried to take care of his mother. Gram was still able to bathe herself and dress herself, it just took her a long time because she had to stop and take frequent rests. The family pussy-footed around the difficult conversation of end-of-life care for Gram. Nobody wanted to talk about it and it didn’t seem like it was time for that yet anyway. But Ali knew it was exactly the right time to talk about it. She didn’t want to ruin Christmas by bringing it up but she also didn’t want the agonizing discussion to get shoved aside either. The brunette waited until she and Ashlyn had been in Gram’s house for a day and then took her wife for a walk on the beach Thursday evening.

The keeper vented a lot of different emotions as they walked, but finally understood what Ali was trying to prepare her for. The time to have that conversation was when Gram could still participate in it and tell them what she wanted to have happen. If they waited too long then sometimes the person who was sick didn’t get that chance. They got confused or too sick to understand everything that was being asked of them. Gram was dying and the family needed to know how she wanted to do that. 

“Somebody from hospice keeps calling the house and Gram keeps saying she doesn’t want to call them back” the blonde shared. “What’s hospice do anyway?”

“Well, when somebody’s so sick that there’s no chance of them getting well, hospice care is the next step. You can have the hospice patient, Gram, stay at home and have a hospice nurse come in every day to check on them and help teach the family to care for them. Or you can have the patient go to stay in a hospice facility where they get hospice care. Either way, the point of it is to make the patient as comfortable as possible...”

“Until they die.” Ashlyn interrupted sadly and squeezed her wife’s hand as they kept walking. There were tears falling down the keeper’s face as she stared down at the sand in front of them. “Gram’s not at that point yet, though, right?” she asked, suddenly sounding like a small, frightened child.

“No, I don’t think she is either. But that’s why...”

“I get it. We have to know which one of those two options she wants before she actually needs it.” Ashlyn straightened her back a bit and wiped her tears away with a heavy sigh. “Grampy had a heart attack and that was that. There wasn’t any of this hard stuff to figure out. He was just gone.”

“There are pluses and minuses to both ways, in my experience anyway” the brunette explained. “The shock and suddenness of losing someone the way you lost Grampy is hard to deal with and accept for most people. But it’s cleaner, if you know what I’m trying to say.” Ali stopped talking and looked over at her wife. She was thinking hard and feeling lots and lots of things. Her face was an abstract painting with lines and colors and splotches all across it. “And if you have someone like Gram where it’s not going to be fast the nice thing is that you get to spend time with her and be there for her before she’s gone. But it’s messy and it’s hard and some people just can’t do it.”

“What do you mean?”

“When my Grandpa died, my mom’s father, he was in the hospital for weeks. We were in highschool and my mom went to stay with him as much as she could. But her brother just couldn’t do it. He couldn’t stand to see him that way. He hardly ever went to visit him and if he did he just stood there for a few minutes and then left. It really upset my mom and my Grandma but he just couldn’t be there.”

“Your Grandma died of a heart attack, like my Gramps, right?”

“Yeah, only a few years later. But that’s why I know about it. I saw both versions of it, through my mom’s eyes mostly. You should talk to her about it. She’ll answer any questions you have honey. Or talk to Gram about it. I’m sure she’d tell you anything you want to know. Don’t you think?”

“Probably” the blonde said softly and stopped. She held Ali’s hand tightly and pulled her back towards her so they were facing each other. “Gram is who I talk to about all of this stuff” she said with a look of complete misery on her face. “Who am I going to talk to after...? She won’t be there to help me...” she fell to her knees in the sand and dissolved into tears. 

She cried and then sobbed as her body shook with sorrow and fear and grief. Ali knelt in front of her and held her, wrapping her arms around her and quietly trying to soothe her. She didn’t lie and say that everything would be ok or that she was going to be alright. She didn’t say anything. She just knelt there, holding the woman she loved and tried to make her feel a little bit less alone.

On Friday the newlyweds ran around and finished their shopping and made sure Gram had everything she needed for the holiday. They bought a tree and decorated it as a family Friday evening. Baby John put on quite the cute show as he enjoyed the beginnings of his first Christmas and everybody had fun telling stories about other first Christmases. Debbie and Mike Christopher arrived Saturday morning, the 23rd, and Gram hosted a very laid back dinner that night. Beth’s parents and her sister Ann all joined them for a mostly peaceful afternoon and evening. Deb and Ali did most of the cooking with lots of gratitude from Gram. They still prepared what the matriarch had planned, it was still Gram’s party. The baby provided a nice distraction and conversation starter for the two families and everybody got along pretty well. Ann and Mike Harris kept their distance. Mike kept his distance from almost everybody actually. If Ashlyn hadn’t been dealing with so many of her own emotions she would have been worried about him. Somehow the evening ended with the entire group watching ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’, with Baby John asleep in Tammye’s arms. Gram sat next to her on the couch and spent more time smiling and watching her great-grandson than she did the movie. 

Christmas Eve day was spent surfing and relaxing in the morning and then baking and wrapping presents in the afternoon. Tammye’s friend Carol had come by for a few hours and brought baby John a Christmas gift and Gram a fresh loaf of gingerbread to thank her for her hospitality. The whole family went with Gram to church after dinner and that was the only time that Ali had seen the old woman get really emotional since they’d been there. They weren’t big church-goers. In fact, baby John’s christening service was probably the first time Mike had been to church since his own children were baptized. Chris and Ashlyn weren’t any better. As much as Gram loved going to church she had never forced it on either of them when they were growing up. So when Chris helped her down the stairs and she saw everybody standing there, dressed for church, she started to cry. Ashlyn rushed to her other side and whispered in her ear. The old woman nodded and smiled broadly as she wiped her tears away. The keeper told everybody to get in their cars and then took the tissue Ali held out and used it to carefully dab at her grandmother’s make-up.

When they got back to the house after church they continued with the family tradition of opening one gift each. Chris howled in disappointment when he opened a gift box that contained socks in it. Everybody laughed along with him as he pretended to be heartbroken by the boring gift. They drank hot chocolate and ate Christmas cookies while holiday music played. They laughed and teased as the rest of the one gift each presents were opened. Chris helped Gram up to bed and Ashlyn went up to help her, knowing it was later than her usual bedtime and it had been a long and tiring day. Good, but long and tiring.

“I don’t need your help honey, but thank you” Gram said when she realized why her granddaughter was standing with her in her bedroom.

“I know you don’t need it Gram. But I’m here and I know you’re tired and I wish you’d just let me help you tonight. Save your strength for when we’re not all here. Ok?”

The blonde was relieved and more than a little surprised when the old woman allowed her to help her get changed and then help her get to the bathroom. She knew that was the limit though.

“See, that wasn’t so bad was it?” she teased her grandmother and then kissed her on the cheek just inside the bathroom door. “Just yell if you need help getting into bed and I’ll come right back up. I love you. Merry Christmas Gram.”

Late that night as they lay in each other’s arms, Ashlyn asked Ali why she had been so quiet. They had been in bed, talking and snuggling for over an hour and the brunette had been unusually quiet.

“Oh, I’m just thinking about how things have changed and how lucky I am” the brunette replied softly as she stared up at the ceiling. The glow was finally starting to fade away from all of the glow in the dark stars that were stuck onto it. “I used to dread Christmas Eve and now I love it again” she smiled and kissed her wife on her cheek.

“What do you mean you used to hate Christmas Eve?” the keeper asked incredulously. “Who hates Christmas Eve?”

“I didn’t say I hated it” Ali corrected her gently. “I just used to dread it because...” she sighed and regretted bringing it up. “I used to spend it alone a lot, when I was with Emily.”

“What?” Ashlyn rolled over to face the brunette. “Why were you alone? Weren’t you with her on Christmas Eve?”

“No. She never brought me to her family for Christmas. We used to take turns at Thanksgiving and go to her family one year and then mine the next. But Christmas Day we spent with our own families.” She turned her head and looked at her wonderful wife and smiled shyly at her. “I hated it. I wanted to be with her more than anything, especially at Christmas. And I was embarrassed to tell my family what the real problem was so I lied and told them that we spent Christmas Eve together with her family every year.”

“Al, wow. I can’t believe you lied to your family about that” Ashlyn said with wide eyes as she caressed the brunette’s stomach. “Wait, so where did you go for Christmas Eve then?”

Ali closed her eyes and turned her head away from the blonde. She opened her eyes and looked at the fading plastic stars again.

“I stayed home in our apartment.”

“All alone?”

“It wasn’t that bad” she lied. “I wrapped all the presents and watched Christmas movies and listened to the Nutcracker on NPR.”

“Sweetheart” Ashlyn cooed, as she pulled her girl closer and wrapped herself around her warm body. “That’s the saddest thing I’ve ever heard. I’m so sorry honey.” She pressed a kiss into Ali’s cheek and held it there for almost a full minute. “No wonder you dreaded it. How long did that go on for?”

“I spent five Christmas Eve’s like that. We weren’t living together for the last one, I hadn’t moved back in yet.”

“Why didn’t you tell me this before?” the keeper was unable to hide the hurt from her voice.

“I've never told anyone this before, not even Syd." She paused, ashamed for a minute, and then shook it off. "And honestly” Ali reached over and pulled her wife closer to her side. “This is the first time I’ve thought about it with you. The first Christmas Eve we spent together I was trying not to jump all over you at the beach. Remember? I visited you in this very house and then drove back to my mom’s after lunch for Christmas Eve.”

“Yes I remember that trip to the beach very well. I recall having a moment with some hot german letters on the side of your gorgeous body and almost losing my mind” she chuckled low in her throat and ran her fingers up and down the brunette’s side tattoo, under her t-shirt.

Ali giggled and kissed her keeper’s lips. “Exactly” she giggled again. “And then last year was so perfect that nothing except how perfect our whole Christmastime had been ever entered my mind.”

“That and some new toys held our attention for most of the night last year” Ashlyn purred and wagged her eyebrows before kissing her wife again.

They both laughed and then blushed at the memory of their hot night of passion in the big old house.

“I know we’re not doing presents this year, nothing big anyway, but I have to confess to having a little something special for you when we get home” the keeper admitted with a smirk.

“Oh really” Ali pulled her head back to quirk her eyebrow at her wife. “Something that might be inappropriate to exchange in front of company?”

“Definitely inappropriate” Ashlyn threw her head back and laughed louder than she should have for the late hour.

“Shhhh...” Ali giggled and buried her face in the blonde’s soft neck. “That’s good because I have something under the tree for you too that I don’t want anybody else to see.”

They kissed for several minutes, trying to keep it clean and sweet, despite the sexy memories they were both enjoying. Ali sighed happily as they snuggled up and got ready to fall asleep.

“Thank you for helping me love Christmas Eve again babe.”


	33. Christmas in New England

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut warning

“Where are my babies?” Ashlyn called out in the goofy voice she used to talk to the puppies. “Where are they?” she sing-songed as she walked into Ken Krieger’s house two days after Christmas. 

Right on cue, Persey and Fred came careening around the corner from the living room towards the side door of the kitchen they had just entered. Apollo followed a couple of minutes behind.

“There they are!” the blonde exclaimed as she got on her knees and gathered both dogs up in her long arms. “Hi doggies, hi, how are you? Were you good doggies for Ken and Vicki?”

“Were they ok?” Ali asked her father and his wife as they stood there watching the cute show on the floor in front of them. 

“Yes, they were very good” Vicki answered with a sincere smile. 

Ali bent over and greeted the dogs once they were finished loving on the keeper. She gave Apollo a big hug too and thanked him for being such a good and patient cousin. Ken had sent them a picture of Fred and Apollo while they were in Florida that was one of the cutest they had seen in a long time. Apollo was sleeping on his side and Fred had curled up on top of the large dog’s front shoulder and rested his head in Apollo’s neck. They both slept like that for a long time. Fred liked everybody and all dogs. Persey was more reserved and preferred people to dogs. Nobody knew why, but it was clear to everybody who spent any time with the young dogs.

Kyle walked into the room and seemed even happier than the dogs had been to see Ali and Ashlyn. They all sat around and shared Christmas stories and updates. Then they moved into the living room once Tanner and Koty were both home and celebrated their own Krieger Christmas together.

Later that night as they were driving home Ali wondered why Kyle was staying at Ken’s house instead of with her. If possible, they always stayed together. It wasn’t something that was even discussed anymore. He had been at Ken’s since Saturday the 23rd and Ali was sure that five days would have been more than her brother could bear. It wasn’t that he didn’t love Vicki and the boys, because both Krieger siblings truly did love them, but he was more of a guest in that house and Ali knew he was more comfortable in the big old house with her. As if reading her mind, Ashlyn asked about it too.

“I figured Kyle would be coming home with us. What gives?” she asked as she drove Ali’s truck from Ipswich to Gloucester that Wednesday night.

“I was just thinking about the same thing. I’m not sure” the brunette replied thoughtfully as she admired the beautiful snow covered scenery around them. “Do you think he talked about Nathan a lot today?”

“Umm, I’m not sure” Ashlyn paused to think. “Maybe.”

“I think he’s staying in Ipswich because Nathan might be visiting his parents too. I don’t know. I want so much for them to get together and I’m afraid I’m seeing things that aren’t really there, you know?” she looked at the blonde and smiled at the sight.

Ashlyn had her tongue stuck a little bit out of her mouth as she squinted forward, concentrating on the road in front of her. It was snowing lightly and it was dark and they had precious cargo in the back, that’s what she called Persey and Fred, and she was adorable. Driving was the one thing Ali gave up easily when it came to which of them was going to do something that they both usually did. Ali drove a lot for work, or rather, she used to drive a lot for work, so she didn’t mind letting someone else do it. As long as they were a good driver. Ashlyn loved to drive. She just enjoyed doing it. And she was a very good driver. Ali considered herself a better driver, especially in the snow, but Ashlyn was really almost just as good. The only thing that separated them was the fact that Ali had been driving in the snow all her life and the Florida girl had not. Last winter there had been a bad snowstorm and they were driving home from Niki and Molly’s and the brunette had insisted on driving. Ashlyn had never forgotten it because she hated the way it had made her feel. She couldn’t blame her wife, she only wanted the two of them to get home safely. But the chivalrous dragon slayer’s pride had been wounded. Ever since then, the blonde tried to drive as much as possible in the snow so she could get better at it. Ali found the whole thing charming, including the present moment.

“Well, don’t push them together, that never works” Ashlyn replied, never taking her eyes off of the road.

“I know. I just know they’ll be perfect together though.” Ali sighed, frustrated. “This must be what Syd and Whit felt like with us.” 

Both women were very happy that Kyle was staying with Ken a couple of hours later as they rolled around together, naked, sweaty and panting. When they had flown into Boston very late the night before, they were too exhausted after the emotional goodbyes and the stressful holiday travel to do anything other than fall asleep immediately. When they got home that night after Christmas at Ken’s, they were more than ready to open those special gifts and break them in. They made themselves wait a couple of hours while they got the dogs used to being with them in the house again. They lounged around in the family room, still their favorite room at Christmastime, and played with the young dogs and snuggled with them until almost 11pm. Once the dogs had been taken outside and put to bed in their crates in the mudroom, the fun could finally begin.

“Mmmmmmm that felt so good” Ali hummed as she caught her breath and waited for the feeling to come back into her arms and legs after a fast and strong orgasm. Ashlyn crawled up her still quivering body, planting hot kisses and making her wife shudder all the while. “Jesus Ash” the brunette’s voice shook a little as she enjoyed the wonderful sensations. 

They had both had an orgasm already, not willing to wait any longer once they had each other naked. They had been looking forward to this since Christmas Eve and the build-up had been too much for them to control any longer. Opening the gifts had only fanned the flames once they got to their bedroom. 

Ali eagerly ripped open the gift wrapping to reveal another double sided dildo. This one was jet black and the wearer’s end was much thicker than their first one had been. This one was so thick that Ashlyn didn’t even think she would be able to wear it. The blonde had been looking for months to find one that might fit Ali better and she was hopeful that this was the one. Apart from the thickness on that end, it was the same general design as the purple one had been. They still used the purple one sometimes but not very often because, although it made Ashlyn feel great when she wore it, it didn’t fill Ali up very well. And even though Ali had gotten better with wearing and using strap-ons in general, she still couldn’t keep that purple one inside her long enough to bring the blonde to orgasm. Ashlyn wasn’t sure why she wanted the double sided dildo to be a part of their repertoire so much, she just knew she wanted Ali to feel good at the same time that the brunette was fucking her brains out. Her favorite thing was when they came at the same time, nothing was better than that and it was a real rarity.

“Wow, another interesting color choice babe” Ali teased as she opened the box and pulled the silicone toy out. 

“Hey, that was really hard to find and there weren’t any choices for color. At all.” Ashlyn leaned over and kissed her sweetly behind her ear as they sat together on the edge of the bed. “I know you don’t like the other double one we have but I think this one will be better. But if this one doesn’t work then I give up on these double enders” she patted the toy in Ali’s hands and kissed her slowly and deeply, holding her head in place with her other hand.

The kiss left them both a little breathless and a lot turned on. They smiled at each other and then Ali got bashful and dropped her eyes for a minute.

“What’s wrong beautiful?” Ashlyn asked with a gentle kiss to the brunette’s forehead.

“I don’t think my gift is very good and I’m just wishing I got you something else” she admitted shyly.

“You’ve said that to me a bunch of times since we’ve been together and you’ve been wrong every single time. Do you realize that?” the blonde chuckled and picked up the unopened gift in her own lap. 

“No way, I’ve been right about it before” Ali disagreed with a cock of her head.

“Name one time” the keeper challenged as she started to unwrap her present.

Ali thought about it while she watched her wife’s hands work the gift open, nervously chewing her bottom lip the whole time. She rolled her eyes and sighed.

“I can’t.”

“That’s right, because you always get me cool stuff. Now quit being so adorable. It doesn’t work while you’re holding a big black dildo in your hands.”

The brunette laughed her short, loud shout of a laugh and gave the keeper a nose-crinkling grin.

“I love you. And my big black dildo” she giggled and gave her wife a kiss, slipping her tongue inside the blonde’s mouth and surprising her.

“Hey, I want to finish opening my present” she whined playfully. “Behave for a few more minutes” Ashlyn warned with a tilt of her head.

The keeper lifted the lid off of one of her Nike shoe boxes and raised her eyebrows as she looked inside.

“They’re ben wa balls” Ali offered quickly as she held her breath.

“I see that” Ashlyn grinned as she took out one of the small boxes that were inside the shoe box. The balls in that box were medium sized metal ones. “A nice selection too. Thank you baby.”

“I wasn’t sure what kind to get and there were so many. And there are different sizes and different weights...” Ali stopped talking and let out the breath she had been holding. “I don’t know. I thought they could be fun.”

“I think so too, so why do you look so miserable?” Ashlyn asked, trying not to laugh at her shy girl. The brunette didn't answer, she just kept looking down at her lap. “Al, honey, look at me” she reached over and lifted the brunette’s chin until her cinnamon eyes looked up. “I love my present. I don’t know much about ben wa balls and I’ve never tried them but I can’t wait to learn about them with you. Will you teach me?”

Ali’s face lifted a little bit as her wife spoke. By the time Ashlyn had finished, the brunette had a small smile on her pretty face.

“You’ve never tried them before?”

“No. Have you?”

“No, but I read about them and they sound kind of hot.” The excitement in the brunette’s voice made Ashlyn’s heart melt as she took another set out of the shoebox. 

“Can we use them during sex or are they just for foreplay and fun?”

“Both. Whatever we want.” She pointed at the balls the keeper had in the palm of her hand. “These are silicone covered plastic with weighted balls inside of them so they feel even better when they’re inside you.”

“Wait, there’s another ball inside this ball?” the blonde quirked an eyebrow and held up one ball between her finger and thumb.

“Yep” Ali giggled and picked up the other one from her wife’s hand. She shook it. “The inside ball moves around while it’s inside you and it’s supposed to feel good.”

“I’ll bet” Ashlyn grinned. “And what about these? What’s with the little handle thingy?” she asked holding up the last of the three smaller boxes.

“Oh those are the ones you’re supposed to start with, like for beginners. That’s how you pull them out when you’re done I guess. I don’t know. I don’t think I’m going to like that handle but I got them just in case.” 

“Oh so you think you’re going to be using MY ben wa balls do you?” the keeper teased and brought their lips together in a soft kiss.

“Yes I do” the brunette giggled again. “But these are better for nights when we have longer and can really take our time. A big part of the fun is the build-up.”

“Ok, so that’s not tonight then because I can’t take any more build-up” Ashlyn kissed her again, harder this time. “I want to read about them some more too. Is it ok if we wait until next time?” she asked after the kiss, pulling back to look at Ali’s face as she answered.

“Mm-hmm, next time” the brunette breathed out with her eyes still closed. “Now kiss me again.”

As they lay there after their first orgasms, naked and sweaty and panting, Ali pulled her wife up to lay on top of her and held her in a tight embrace. Ashlyn loved when the brunette got clingy with her. It was one of her favorite things ever. It didn’t happen that often but when it did it was as if Ali was an octopus and she wrapped the keeper up and wouldn’t let her go, no matter what. It had been one of those clingy moods that had driven her to follow Ashlyn into the bathroom that first time and straddle her while she peed. Any distance was too far away for Ali when she was like that. 

“Do you want to try your new toy?” she asked the brunette as they held each other close, kissing softly. “We could hold each other like this and fuck at the same time” she said hotly into her wife’s ear.

Ali’s eyes darkened and her center twitched when she heard the blonde’s words. She nodded her head slowly and gave her a deep and passionate kiss. They kissed again, both getting more and more worked up before Ashlyn pulled back to speak.

“Don’t move. I’ll be right back.” 

The keeper scampered to the bathroom, large black dildo in hand. Ali giggled as she watched her beautiful naked body cross the room as quickly as possible. She sat up and put the three small boxes of ben wa balls back into the shoebox and then leaned over the edge of the bed and dropped it carefully onto the floor. They had been in such a hurry to have sex after opening their presents that they hadn’t bothered to put them away before. 

“Hurry up” she called out, impatient for her girl to return to her arms.

Ali stretched out on the bed, watching the blonde washing the new toy in the sink through the open bathroom door. She ran her hands up and down her body, keeping one up on her nipple while the other moved across her mound and back again. The brunette tilted her hips up and flexed her toes as she waited. She was just about to go get her wife when the blonde finally emerged from the bathroom. She tossed the towel behind her on the vanity and looked up as she walked towards the bed. When she saw Ali laying there waiting for her, hands moving slowly, eyes dark as night, the keeper dropped the dildo, catching it just before it hit the floor.

“Don’t you dare drop that” the brunette threatened with a chuckle. “I can’t wait another minute for you. Get over here sexy.”

Ashlyn swallowed hard and crawled onto the foot of the bed, her own desire running wild. Ali spread her legs open wider and locked eyes with her keeper as she bent one knee up and ran her fingers through her own wet folds. Ashlyn thought her heart might actually stop. She was so excited and turned on that it was hard for her to focus on anything other than the most gorgeous pussy in the world.

“Fuck Al...”

“Get the lube, just in case.”

But the blonde didn’t hear her. She put the dildo next to her wife and buried her face between her legs with a hungry groan. “Mmmmmm. Mmmmmmm.” She hummed loudly as she started licking through Ali’s slick pussy lips. The vibrations sent tremors of pleasure up through the brunette’s body and made her whimper and rock her hips again.

“Ohhh yeah.” Ali reached down with both hands and pulled gently on the blonde hair between her legs. “Up here. Get up here” she moaned and tried to pull her keeper’s head up. She reached to her side, grabbed the new double sided dildo and moved it towards her crotch.

Ashlyn lifted her head and saw the black toy in her wife’s hand. She was disappointed to stop her feast but her eyes caught the lust and passion flashing across Ali’s face and it spurred her to get on her knees and take the dildo out of the brunette’s hand.

“Come on babe,” Ali purred as she spread her own lips and lifted her other knee up, “help me put it in.”

The keeper took the thick end of the toy and slid it through her own soaking folds, getting it very wet. She reached down again with her hand for more of her juices and spread them across the tip, wanting to be sure it was ready to go. Ali watched her and felt a wave of her own passion flood her core.

“Goddamn that’s hot” the brunette breathed out.

“You are so fucking sexy baby. Fuck, you make me crazy” Ashlyn replied as she started to push the thick, wearer’s end of the dildo into her wife’s pussy, kissing the inside of her knee at the same time.

“Ohhhh...mmmmm...” she moaned as she felt the thick toy start to fill her up. It took a few minutes for her to adjust to it and the keeper was careful not to go too fast, even though they both wanted to get to the next step pronto. “Jesus Ash, it’s so big.”

“Is it too much? Does it hurt?” the blonde asked, worry cutting through all the desire in her voice.

“No, I don’t think so...”

“I think it has to be really big and tight for it to stay in. That’s how the other one felt to me” Ashlyn explained quickly, crawling up Ali’s side but keeping her hand on the big black dildo in case she needed to remove it. “But it’ll feel really good once we get started.”

Ali blinked at her wife and pulled her closer, kissing her lips with a tenderness that quickly changed to hunger.

“Ok, let’s try it” she mumbled against the blonde’s swollen lips and smiled. She licked Ashlyn’s lips and hummed into another kiss as her wife straddled her hips and knelt above her.

“Tell me if you want me to stop” the keeper whispered into Ali’s ear as she licked and nipped her neck.

The brunette ran her hands up and down her wife’s strong back and arms. She wanted to feel their bodies pressed tightly together but knew she had to be patient for just a few more minutes.

“Come on babe. I need to feel you.”

Ashlyn guided the tip of the narrower end of the dildo to her entrance and slowly started to lower herself onto it. She closed her eyes as she felt the toy slide into her pulsing core. When she felt her mound touch down against Ali’s she opened her eyes and smiled wickedly.

“Damn that’s good” she husked out. “You ok?”

Ali pulled the blonde down on top of her and buried her face in her neck, kissing and nibbling Ashlyn’s soft, warm skin.

“More than” she purred out and started slowly rocking her hips up into her wife. She moved both hands down to the keeper’s ass and squeezed hard. Finally she had the blonde right where she wanted her and her desire skyrocketed. “Jesus Ashlyn, you feel so fucking good.”

Every time the brunette rocked her hips up and thrusted the dildo into Ashlyn, the thick end inside her own pussy moved against her sensitive walls and g-spot. It felt really good and the more she used it the more confident she felt that it wasn’t going to slip out of her like the other one did. She loved having Ashlyn on top of her and all around her. They were kissing and sucking and panting and moaning together and it was incredibly intimate. 

“God that feels amazing Al. Unnhh...”

“I want to try it on top” Ali breathed out after a long time like that, low-level pumping and making out. As much as she loved the position they were in she wanted to get her girl off and she knew that would require some better thrusting. 

“You gonna fuck me good?” the blonde asked in a low, hungry voice as they rolled over and switched positions, careful to keep the toy inside both of them. “Fuck. Yessss...” she hissed when she felt Ali grab the big stuffed reading pillow from the foot of the bed and slide it, upside down, under her hips to get a better angle.

Ali could feel her wife’s walls starting to grab at the big black dildo as she began thrusting in earnest. She was on her knees, holding onto the tops of Ashlyn’s thighs, the blonde’s legs bent up and spread out wide. They kept their eyes on each other unless one of them had to close them for a few seconds when a jolt of passion or pleasure hit them. The brunette was surprised at how good it felt for her this time. She thought the dildo was too big and that it would be uncomfortable for her but she was wrong. Just as Ashlyn said, after a few minutes it felt really good. Ali picked up her pace and started to thrust harder and faster, loving the way her keeper’s breasts bounced along. Ashlyn’s hips were rocking in rhythm and she moved one hand to play with her own breast and the other to hold onto Ali’s hand, still gripping her thigh.

“Yeah, babe, you’re so fucking sexy” the brunette grunted out as she pounded into her wife.

“I’m close...unnhhhh...shit that’s good...”

It got harder and harder to thrust as Ashlyn’s walls tightened around the toy. The extra resistance sent more pressure back into Ali’s own core as the dildo pushed back against her g-spot. She tried to block that from her mind so she could focus on getting the blonde off. She pounded for another few minutes, wishing she had four arms so she could tug on those beautiful pink nipples at the same time. When she knew Ashlyn was very close, she took one hand and brought it to the blonde’s clit.

“Fuck yes! Yessss!!” Ashlyn yelled out when she felt the brunette start to rub her clit hard and fast. “Oh my God. Unnhhh.”

“Ohh, Ash...fuck...” Ali shouted as she felt her girl start to tremble and twitch. She watched as the blonde pinched and pulled on her own nipples with both hands. She felt her muscles start to ache as she pushed hard for another few minutes, thrusting and rubbing Ashlyn’s clit. “Come babe.”

Ashlyn arched her back and pinched her own nipples hard as she felt the orgasm start to take over. Her legs started to tremble harder and then she came hard. She yelled out and her whole body shook and twitched. “Fuuuuck!!...” 

The keeper reached down and moved Ali’s hand away from her too sensitive clit. Then she grabbed the brunette’s wrist and pulled her down on top of her and held her tight as she thrashed around and rode out her orgasm. Ali moved her lips all over her wife’s neck and shoulder and jaw, anywhere she could connect with her hot, sweaty flesh. 

“I’ve got you, babe. I love you.”

Ali rolled them onto their sides and arched her back so she could pull the dildo out of the blonde. The keeper usually didn’t like to have it inside her after she came. Ashlyn rolled them again so that she was on top, surprising the brunette. She remembered how close she had been to an orgasm when she had worn the other double sided dildo and brought Ali over the edge. She knew her wife had to be close to her own release. Ashlyn shifted so she was lying next to the brunette. She brought their lips together in a passionate kiss, wrapped her leg around Ali’s leg and held it out wide, and then reached down with her right hand and grabbed hold of the toy still inside her beautiful brunette. The keeper was still recovering from her own powerful orgasm but she wanted to bring Ali with her.

“Ash...” she gasped out, her eyes impossibly dark.

Ashlyn took a couple of quick breaths and moved her mouth down to Ali’s dark, rock hard nipples and sucked one into her mouth. She started to move the dildo inside the brunette’s pulsing pussy, a little unsure of just how fast and hard she could go with this new, larger size.

“Oh fuck” Ali moaned and arched her back, loving the keeper’s mouth on her breast. “Yeah, just like that.”

Ashlyn kept the medium pace, moving the dildo with her right hand in and out of her wife, and still trying to catch her breath. She flicked Ali’s stiff nipple with her hot tongue and watched the brunette writhe in her arms.

“Jesus” she breathed out. “A little more babe.”

The blonde followed her instructions and increased her pace and depth with the toy, watching her wife’s response carefully. Ali groaned loudly and moved her left hand to her clit and started moving it in small circles. Ashlyn leaned over and started to work on her other breast, loving the way the stiff one she had just left poked her in her own chest.

“Yes...Ash...fuck...oh my god...”

Ali started to rub her own clit fast, opening her left leg out wider so she had more room to work. It only took another minute for her to come. She tightened all of her abdominal muscles and almost sat up, Ashlyn’s torso still in the way as she licked her left breast.

“Ashlyn! Yes!!” she shouted as the orgasm crashed over her. Her eyes slammed shut and she pressed her head back against the mattress as her mouth dropped open. She stopped rubbing her clit and moved that hand to keep Ashlyn and the toy still too. She shook and convulsed and rolled onto her side, towards her wife who wrapped her arms around her and held her tight.

“Yeah baby. Yeah, that’s so good” the blonde said slowly as Ali finally stopped flailing around. 

“Oh wow” the brunette breathed out as she opened her eyes, happy to find herself being held closely by the love of her life. Her breaths were ragged and her cheeks were flushed but her smile was huge. “That felt amazing. Thank you honey.”

Ashlyn placed soft kisses all around the brunette’s face as she caught her breath. She ran her hand up and down Ali’s side, spending a few extra minutes on her gorgeous ass.

“Take it out.” Ali lifted her top leg up so the blonde could remove the dildo.

Ashlyn tugged it out and dropped it on the bed a foot away from them. She slid her own thigh up between the brunette’s legs and they curled into each other, impossibly close and wonderfully sated.

“I fucking love you” Ashlyn said with an admiring smirk. “And I love fucking you” she grinned at her own play on words.

“Right back at you babe” Ali agreed with a small chuckle. “Oh I just want to stay like this forever, right here in your arms.” She opened her eyes and kissed her wife softly. “Can we do that, please?”

“Anything you say, princess. Anything you say.”

//

The Nutcracker tradition was going to have to slide that year, that’s what Ali had decided and had made her peace with. When they learned about Gram’s diagnosis and her decision it changed a lot of things for the whole family. The brunette was sad to skip a year after only starting up the new tradition last year but she completely understood and never said a word to Ashlyn about it. She didn’t want to make her feel bad or put any extra pressure on her. So when the blonde told her wife to get dressed up and be ready for a fancy date night that Friday, Ali assumed it was just going to be a regular fancy date night. They tried to do those now and then because they both liked to get dressed up and go out. But it had been awhile with the wedding and the NWSL playoffs taking up so much time and energy. As the beautiful couple stepped through the door of the fine dining restaurant near the theatre district in Boston, Ali holding on to Ashlyn’s arm, the brunette was stunned to see her brother standing there. He was dressed in a nice suit and he was practically beaming. He looked happier than she had seen him in a very long time. He was talking with somebody but she couldn’t see who it was until they moved farther into the hostess area.

“Oh my god” Ali said as urgently as she could while still keeping her voice low when she saw the man her brother was with. She tugged hard on her wife’s arm and whispered into blonde hair. “Kyle’s here. With Nathan!”

Ashlyn grinned broadly and patted the brunette’s hand on her bicep.

“Hey ladies! You made it!” Kyle greeted them warmly when he saw them. “The table will be ready in about ten minutes. If you want to go to the bar and get a drink we can come get you...”

“Wait, you knew we were coming?” Ali asked, confused, as she hugged and kissed her brother and Nathan hello.

Ashlyn and Kyle exchanged a look and grinned.

“Does she not know where we’re going after dinner either?” Nathan asked, smiling along with the surprise.

“Nope.” Ashlyn leaned over and kissed her wife on the cheek.

Ali’s face lit up as she took in the new information. She honestly didn’t care where they were going after dinner. She was so happy to be with these three people right at that moment that it didn’t matter where they were or where they were going. But the Nutcracker never entered her mind as a possibility because everybody went to see it before Christmas. It ran the week between Christmas and New Year’s but she had never gone after Christmas, she didn’t even realize it ran after Christmas anymore. She had just forgotten over the years.

“I don’t care. I’m so happy right now, you could tell me we were going to The Nutcracker and I’d believe you” she laughed. 

The other three just froze and stared at her.

“What?” she asked innocently, but realized she was on to something. “Are we going to The Nutcracker? Is it even still open? You guys, don’t tease me anymore” she said with a little pout.

“Well now that you’ve ruined your own surprise” Kyle replied and cocked his head. “Yes, we’re going to The Nutcracker after dinner.”

“Are we really?!” she squealed excitedly, loud enough to make the people around them turn and look.

Ashlyn smiled at her adorable girl. “Yes baby, we really are.”

“But how...?”

“I meant to do it sooner and I’m sorry about that. But one of Nathan’s theater friends was able to get us tickets. It’s sold out all week” she explained quietly.

“Oh Ashlyn, I’m so happy. Thank you honey” Ali kissed her lightly on the lips and said everything else she wanted to say with her beautiful brown eyes.

It was one of the best nights of the whole year and Ali was on cloud nine all evening. Dinner was delicious and the conversation among the four of them was easy and fun and interesting. It felt like they had all been friends together for years. Nathan and Kyle definitely seemed like they were on a date although nobody ever mentioned it or questioned them about it. If they didn’t want to talk about it then Ali wasn’t going to interrogate them and possibly mess it up. Maybe all they needed was a magical night of good food, good company and the sugar plum fairy to get them moving down the relationship track. 

The ballet performance had the same effect on the newlyweds as it had the year before. They drove home again that night with stars in their eyes and dreams in their hearts. Their wondrous future dream was closer than ever and they both felt the excitement and gratitude and love radiating off of the other. It truly had been a magical night.


	34. Ali Fucks Up

“Ali, you did what?”

It was December 30th, the morning before their flight to Hawaii for their long-awaited honeymoon, and they were in their bedroom. Ashlyn had gone upstairs with a basket of clean laundry so she could start her packing. Ali had followed her up the back stairs.

“I know I should have talked with you about this first honey, but I knew you would try and make it work and I just don’t think this is the right time. As soon as we found out about Gram I knew this was the right thing to do. Every time I tried to bring it up...well, it just didn’t seem like the right time for that either.”

The blonde was standing at the foot of the bed, about to put clean clothes away. The laundry basket sat on the floor next to her while Ali stood by the head of the bed, just inside the door from the back stairs.

“We should have talked about this. I can’t believe you did this” Ashlyn said harshly, then turned and walked over to the window next to the fireplace with her arms crossed over her chest.

Persey ran up the stairs and went over to Ashlyn, nudging her leg with her head and walking around her in a circle. Fred joined them a minute later and Ali bent down to pat him, happy for the distraction. They were quiet for a couple of minutes until the brunette couldn’t stand it anymore.

“I’m sorry Ash. I thought I was doing the right thing. I still think I did the right thing. But I’m sorry you’re upset.”

“I can’t believe you cancelled our fucking honeymoon without even talking to me about it.” The keeper’s voice was flat and steady and she kept her eyes on the driveway below.

“Postponed...I just pushed it out a few months...”

Ashlyn turned to look at her with tears in her eyes and anger and disappointment across her face. 

“But now we can go and see Gram instead. How is that not the right thing to do?” 

Ali was flustered and on her way to aggravated. She knew that the surprise element of the change in plans would upset her keeper but she never imagined it would be this big of a deal. They had pushed their honeymoon off for four months to begin with. What was so horrible about another four or six month delay if it meant you could spend more time with your dying grandmother? The brunette was genuinely flummoxed by Ashlyn’s reaction. She honestly thought her wife would be pleased or relieved by the change.

“The fact that you have to even ask that question absolutely amazes me” the keeper said hotly. “I don’t know what to be more mad about” she was pacing, back and forth in front of the fireplace. She stalked up to the head of the bed and then back again. “The fact that you made a decision about what was best for me without even fucking asking me, or the fact that you waited until the last possible minute to tell me about it!” She stopped pacing and stared hard at her wife across the room. “Jesus fucking Christ Al, what were you thinking?!”

Ali had never seen the blonde so angry with her before. She didn’t know what to do. Ashlyn was right on both counts. Her own emotions were swirling around her and she felt small and dumb and selfish. She was trying to think of something to say when the keeper barked at her again.

“Well?!”

The volume and harshness of the demand shocked the brunette and she started to cry. She didn’t want to cry, she hated when she cried in an argument or disagreement. It was embarrassing and counterproductive. Rather than cry, she would usually just keep her mouth shut and then get out of whatever confrontation she was in as soon as possible so nobody would see her cry. She had cried once in a disagreement with her old boss and it had happened once with a boorish customer who just wouldn’t let her get a word in edgewise. When Ashlyn saw her start to cry she felt her heart tug, but she was furious and in no mood to console her wife. She rolled her eyes and turned back to look out the window again, hands on her hips. Persey moved from the blonde over to Ali and nudged her leg, wagging her tail and whining softly. Fred had gone and lay down in his bed right after he greeted Ali.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you” Ali croaked out through her tears and her rising emotions. “I...I knew you’d be mad so I kept putting it off” she gasped out between sobs and sniffles. “I fucked up.” She sat on the edge of the bed and angrily wiped the tears off of her face, watching Ashlyn’s back the whole time. “That’s totally on me and I screwed up. I’m sorry.”

The keeper still stood with her back to the room. Every once in a while Ali could hear her sniffle and she could see that the blonde’s breathing was becoming more regular. Persey stood on her hind legs and put her front legs on Ali’s lap. 

“Ashlyn, please. Will you talk to me?”

It was several more minutes before the keeper’s shoulders slumped and she sat on the foot of the bed, her back still to Ali. Persey hopped down and went over to assume the same position with the blonde instead. Ali was relieved to see her pat the dog and pull her closer for a little hug. The brunette thought maybe the storm had passed so she crawled across the bed and sat behind her keeper, spreading her legs out to surround Ashlyn’s and snaking her arms around her waist to hug her. She felt her wife bristle at the contact and lean forward a little bit. Ali frowned and fought off another batch of tears as she pulled her arms away and leaned back to give her more space. She left her legs where they were. She wasn’t giving up that easily.

“I’m sorry...”

“You’re only sorry about not telling me” Ashlyn cut her off crisply. “You’re not sorry about making the decision without me in the first place. You seriously don’t think that was a problem?” she asked the last part with more than enough snark to get Ali’s temper up.

“Really Ash?” she swung her leg around and away from her wife and sat on the edge of the bed next to her instead. “You’re mad because I postponed our honeymoon.” She said it like a challenge, not like a question. “Do you honestly mean to tell me that you were ready to go and have a beautiful, romantic 2-week honeymoon with me to celebrate our marriage?!”

Ashlyn didn’t say anything for another few minutes. The brunette was trying not to lose her temper. She knew her wife was under a lot of stress and feeling a lot of emotions because of Gram so she was willing to cut her quite a bit of slack. But this just felt childish to her. Squabbling over what she had apologized for, and not even looking at her.

“Will you at least fucking look at me?” Ali’s voice was an angry challenge.

Ashlyn’s back straightened again when she heard it and she abruptly turned sideways on the edge of the bed to face her wife.

“Did it ever occur to you that maybe I was really looking forward to our honeymoon? That maybe it was the only thing that was keeping me from falling apart? That maybe the idea of spending two weeks alone with you in paradise was everything I needed right now? That it would give me the strength to get through what’s coming next?”

Ashlyn’s words were short and sharp and she looked her wife in the eye as she spoke. She felt bad when Ali’s face contorted in pity and regret and sorrow as she listened. But she kept going because she was angry. She was angrier than she had ever been with her beautiful brunette.

“Of course not, because why would it? I don’t expect you to know all of that because you’re not a mind-reader Al.” She stopped to take a breath and bite back some of her outrage. “How in the hell could you know any of that if you don’t fucking ask me about it?”

“Ash I...”

“If you had asked me I would have told you that I made a promise to Gram that I would under no circumstances do exactly what you fucking did. She made me swear that we would go on our honeymoon and have the best time and then come home and tell her all about it and show her all the pictures we took. She made me promise...”

She couldn’t go on. She burst into tears and collapsed onto the bed, her head resting just in front of Ali’s lap. She sobbed into the comforter while Persey tried to soothe her from her back legs, hopping closer until the blonde reached out her hand for the puppy to lick. 

Ali felt like she was going to throw up. How had she messed this up so badly? She knew it was too late to fix it. The trip was off and it couldn’t be rescheduled for a couple of weeks at the earliest. There was nothing to be done about it. She lifted Ashlyn up enough so she could scooch closer and hold her in her lap while she sobbed. The distraught blonde didn’t resist, she was limp and pliant in Ali’s hands. Persey had been displaced when Ali moved closer and she was whining loudly from the floor next to the two women. Ashlyn had a strict no dogs on the beds rule, unless they were invited up. And her strictness about that rule was the most strict regarding their own bed. She didn’t want to sleep in a bunch of dog hair. Ali leaned back and patted the edge of the bed for Persey to put her front paws on. The bed was too high for the dogs to jump onto without some help, so once Persey was standing on her two feet with her front feet leaning on the bed, the brunette reached down and helped her up onto the bed. She wagged her entire body and walked quickly to Ashlyn’s side. She curled up right next to the blonde with her chin protectively on her lower back. ‘She can be mad at me about that too’ the brunette thought to herself glumly. It wasn’t more than a minute before she had to repeat the process with Fred. 

They stayed like that for a long time, Ali rubbing soothing circles into her keeper’s back while the blonde cried in her lap. Eventually, Ashlyn’s breathing evened out and her tears stopped. She didn’t move though. It was as if neither of them wanted to break the temporary truce that had formed between them. Finally the brunette spoke, knowing that it was up to her to try and make things right, even though she was afraid of what would come from their words.

“Sweetheart, I’m so sorry about everything. I can’t... I don’t know what to say so that you’ll know how sorry I am.” She took a deep breath and continued. “You’re right and you have every reason to be mad at me. I totally fucked up and I can’t fix it. The trip is postponed.”

The blonde hadn’t changed anything about her position or her breathing and Ali was getting discouraged.

“And I should have talked with you about it first. God. I can’t believe I was so stupid” she shook her head and dropped her eyes as she reacted to her own words. “I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought it was the right thing for all of us...”

Ashlyn reached her arms around her wife’s waist and squeezed, gently. Ali thought she might cry she was so relieved by the move, small as it was.

“I thought I was helping and I ended up doing just the opposite. Oh honey I’m so sorry.”

“You promised me” the blonde mumbled against her wife’s thigh, never moving her head out of her lap.

“What hon?” Ali bent her head down closer so she could hear better.

“You promised, 50/50 partnership.” Ashlyn’s voice was small and soft but clear. “We’re supposed to pick each other up when we stumble, not carry each other along.”

It was Ali’s turn to fight her tears. Her keeper was absolutely right. What good was it to say those words when it was easy but then not follow through on that promise when it got hard?

“You’re my equal, not my responsibility” she added, her voice shaky with guilt and remorse. “I’m so sorry...” the words came out as a whisper before her tears started to fall silently down her cheeks.

Ashlyn felt one of them land on her own face and sat up. She pulled her wife towards her and they hugged each other, both clinging tightly to the other like they were afraid of everything slipping through their hands.

“I know you are. I know” the keeper soothed.

“No.” Ali sat up straight and broke the hug. “Don’t make me feel better” she shook her head and wiped the tears off of her face. “I’m the one who messed up. I’m supposed to make you feel better.” She took a couple of deep breaths. “You have every right to be pissed off Ash. I’m ok.”

The blonde reached over and patted Persey and looked at Fred who was on the other side of the bed, seemingly enjoying the show. Ashlyn looked up at her wife and quirked an eyebrow.

“Oh yeah, sorry about that too.” Ali looked sheepishly at the two dogs breaking the keeper’s rule. “I’ll wash it.”

God how she loved that woman. Ashlyn couldn’t believe she could be so angry with her and still love her so much at the same damned time. Ali had never fucked up like that before and she didn’t know what to do to make it right. She had always been the one to dole out the punishment and decide how long to make the blonde suffer for her mistakes. This was definitely uncharted water for them and Ashlyn wasn’t sure what to do either. She was angry and upset and hurt and relieved. Wait, what? It was there, hidden underneath all of the other volatile emotions. She was relieved that they weren’t going on their honeymoon the next day. Goddammit! That just made her angrier and she couldn’t keep it from flashing across her face in that moment.

“Are you really mad about the dogs?” Ali asked cautiously. “Here, I’ll get them off...”

“No” Ashlyn reached out for her wife as she stood up. She held her hands and guided her back down onto the edge of the bed in front of her. “It’s not that.” She closed her eyes and let out a heavy sigh. Ali was nervous and unsure what to say or do so she just sat there and waited for the blonde to speak again. “I’m still sorting everything out...I’m not trying to be a drama queen” she squeezed her wife’s hands and gave her a weak, half-smile. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I’m mad that you didn’t talk to me about the trip. And I’m mad that you didn’t tell me about it until just now. But I also just realized that I’m kind of glad we’re not going.”

“What?” the brunette’s voice was cautious and hopeful.

“I’m still mad...”

“I know Ash. It’s ok, I won’t forget. I know I screwed up.” Ali looked seriously at her wife. “Tell me the rest.”

“I don’t understand it yet, but I felt it. I was relieved that we weren’t going away tomorrow.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, really.”

“Oh, thank God” Ali let out a relieved breath of her own and squeezed the keeper’s hands. 

“What do you mean?” the blonde asked, about to get fired up again.

“I know you’re mad and I get it. But I was so sure it was the right thing and then when you were so upset I started to doubt if I knew what was going on with you at all. So even though I did it all the wrong way. And I mean totally the wrong way” she looked into her wife’s tawny hazel eyes and held her gaze for a few seconds to let her know that she understood just how big of a deal it was. “I was still right about you probably not wanting to go away right now. That’s all I mean.”

They stayed stretched out on the bed with the dogs for a while, just trying to make their way through the rest of their feelings and fears and thoughts. After they ate a quiet lunch together Ashlyn took the dogs for a long walk on the beach. As much as the brunette wanted to go with her, she knew her keeper needed some time alone. Instead, she washed the comforter and put all of her wife’s clean clothes away for her. She started a fire in the big fireplace in the family room and turned on the Christmas music as she looked at the tree and the gifts they had exchanged that year. She knew it wasn’t fair to compare this Christmas to last Christmas because last year had been so absolutely perfect that nothing else could ever come close to matching it. But this Christmas hadn’t felt much like Ali expected or wanted it to. Gram was sick and that put a damper on everything, no matter how hard they tried not to let it. It just did. People were sad and angry about losing a woman they all loved so much. Everything felt rushed and Ashlyn had been away and the whole thing had just left the brunette feeling a little disappointed. 

That was until she and Ashlyn had exchanged gifts earlier in the week, after they had returned from Florida. She wasn’t thinking about their new bedroom toys, although she knew they would both enjoy those for a long time to come. Ali meant their other gifts. She hummed along to ‘White Christmas’ as she went over to stand at the nook in the corner. The big, beautifully framed photograph that Kyle had given them was carefully propped up on the bench seat. It was that amazing photo he had taken of them last Thanksgiving on the beach. The one that they had used on the big sheet cake for their Jill and Jill party this summer. They were waiting to find just the right place to hang it. The brunette couldn’t help but smile when she saw the handmade, wooden, advent calendar that Ashlyn had given her for Christmas. The keeper had listened to all of Ali’s holiday decoration talk from last year and had Niki build her Ali’s perfect advent calendar. It was wood and it had 24 little drawers that you pulled out and turned around, one per day. On one side were the numbers and then on the other side was a part of the scenic snowy village image that was completed once all 24 drawers were turned around. Niki loved the idea and finished building the advent calendar in the Spring. Then Ashlyn stashed it away in her studio and took her time painting it so she could give it to her wife this Christmas. Next to it on the table in the nook was the handmade wood nativity set that Ali had given to Ashlyn. She also had paid attention when her keeper described Gram’s old nativity set that had been destroyed by squirrels. Ali had also asked Niki to build the nativity set for her girl. God love Niki and Molly for keeping the two secrets to themselves. Niki had taken the description from Ali and built a miniature stable out of wood. It was all open across the front, like a dollhouse would be, and it had the main stable in the middle with a corralled area on each end, split rail fence and everything. It had been easier to build than the advent calendar because it didn’t involve any moving parts. It was mostly just structure as opposed to the finish carpentry level of woodwork that the advent calendar required. Ali had gotten some straw to complete the scene. She was going to ask Niki to carve some figures for it but changed her mind and decided to give Ashlyn just the stable. She was pretty sure her keeper would enjoy finding the right figures to make up her very own nativity set.

They were both so moved and surprised by their Niki Cross crafted gifts that they hadn’t been able to say anything for a few minutes. They both inspected and admired their present with huge smiles on their faces and tears in their eyes. It was almost too cheesy for them to handle. But, as always, the sincerity and the love behind the gesture and the gift was impossible to push aside or laugh at. During their very first Christmas together in the big old house they had shared their very personal longing for a particular part of their Christmases past. And they had each gone out and tried to get that thing that was missing for the other. Neither of them had ever had anybody do anything so sweet or thoughtful for them before. Ali ran her fingers across the roofline of the stable and then across the top of the advent calendar as she stood in front of the nook table. She looked at the large photo of the two of them again, her breath catching as she relived how angry and disappointed her wife had been with her a few hours earlier. She felt the tears start to form in the corners of her eyes again and was relieved when the drier dinged, telling her the comforter was dry. She didn’t want to cry about her mistake anymore. She just wanted her wife to come home so they could make their plans for the next two weeks and start moving past the hurt.

Ashlyn came home soon after but went up to her studio and closed the door. She told Ali that she just needed some time. And the brunette had no choice but to give it to her. As she sat there on the family room couch trying to soak in as much holiday spirit as she could, Ali thought back to the fight they had about Hannah last year when they were painting Niki and Molly’s new house. She had taken two and a half days to herself before going back to see Ashlyn at the big old house. There was no way Ali would last that long if her wife decided to do that to her now. She felt every minute tick by as it was. She couldn’t imagine what she would do if Ashlyn took that much time to forgive her. It was different now though, wasn’t it? They were married and Ali didn’t have a separate house to go to. But Ashlyn didn’t come down. Ali took the dogs out at 11pm and then moved around the house turning off the candles in the windows. She worried that the blonde hadn’t eaten dinner and considered bringing her up something to eat. But she knew she couldn’t do that. She had made the mess. She had to give her wife the time and space she needed. Ali got ready for bed on the brink of tears. When she finally put her book down, after mindlessly reading the same two pages a dozen times, and turned off her light an hour later, she cried herself to sleep. 

The brunette didn’t think she could feel lower than she had that night, but then she woke up to find that Ashlyn hadn’t come to bed at all last night. That was another first. Even when things had been horrible between them in the past, they had always ended up in their bed together. Even if they didn’t snuggle or cuddle, they at least slept in the same bed. Ali let the dogs out, ate breakfast and then went down to the gym to row until her arms fell off or she passed out. Whichever came first, preferably passing out. She couldn’t think of a better way to fight through her anger and frustration. She was mad at herself for screwing up in the first place. She was mad at the situation in general. And she was mad at Ashlyn for not coming to bed last night. When she walked out of the bathroom after her shower an hour later she felt calmer. She was surprised to see her wife, showered and dressed for the day, sitting on their bed, writing in her journal.

“Hi” Ashlyn closed her journal and smiled softly.

“Hey” the brunette replied quickly, surprised by a sudden burst of bitterness about the blonde not coming to bed last night.

“I’m sorry about last night, I fell asleep up there. It wasn’t on purpose” she explained as if she had read Ali’s mind. 

The brunette didn’t know what to say so she just didn’t say anything. She kept walking towards her dresser to get some clothes to put on, clutching her towel wrapped under her armpits as she went.

“Can we talk?” the keeper asked as she put the book and pen inside her nightstand drawer.

“Yeah, just let me get dressed” Ali answered as she held her towel in place and felt self-conscious. It was crazy but she didn’t feel comfortable getting dressed in front of her own wife.

“Do you want me to leave?”

“No, I mean...no, that’s ridiculous” she replied and dropped her towel to step into her panties. Ali chastised herself for being weird and making things worse.

Ashlyn could see how uncomfortable her wife was and it broke her heart. She got off the bed and walked to the window on her side of the room to give Ali some privacy. It felt like they were in the twilight zone or something. This wasn’t what she wanted. What the fuck did she want? She knew Ali was sorry. She knew her wife understood what she had done was wrong. Was she trying to hurt Ali or cause her pain? She saw the brunette go back into the bathroom, fully dressed.

“I just need one more minute...”

“Al, it’s ok. Take your time. I’m not going anywhere” the blonde said evenly.

“Is that supposed to be a joke?” Ali asked more sharply than she meant to. She came to the door of the bathroom, bent over and combing her wet hair out.

“What? No.” Ashlyn rolled her eyes when she realized how Ali had taken her words. “No. I just meant that you don’t have to rush.”

She saw the mixture of hurt and anger in her favorite cinnamon eyes and she couldn’t take it anymore. Ashlyn walked to the door of the bathroom and pulled her wife into a hug. Ali was stiff at first but then slowly melted into it and hugged her keeper back. 

“I’m sorry honey” Ashlyn said softly as they held each other. “I didn’t mean to sleep up there last night. And I’m not going to push you away or shut you out. I just needed some time. I promise I’m not going to disappear on you again.”

Ali sobbed once but then got control of herself. She was so relieved to hear what the blonde had said that she was practically giddy. Ashlyn pulled back and led her by the hand into the bedroom and towards the back stairs.

“Come on, let’s go downstairs and talk.”

They sat on the couch in the family room and Ali was happy to see that the keeper had turned the Christmas tree lights on.

“Thank you for letting me work through this Al. I know it’s hard and I appreciate it.” 

Ashlyn paused, waiting for her wife to say something but Ali didn’t know what to say or do so she just sat there.

“Ok, so what’s the plan then?” the keeper asked, expectantly.

“What do you mean?”

“We’re not going on our honeymoon today so what’s the plan? When are we going to Satellite Beach? How long are we staying?”

“So that’s it? We’re just moving on then?”

“Well, yeah. I mean, I don’t know Ali, you tell me.” Ashlyn’s voice flared with anger as she finished talking.

“I don’t know what the hell is going on Ash. This is all on your timetable. You needed time and space and I’m trying to give it to you” Ali yelled back before she could catch herself.

“I don’t need more time. I’m good. I was pissed at you and now I’m less pissed at you. I don’t know what you want me to say?!” the blonde replied loudly.

“I want you to tell me that you forgive me” Ali said softly, dropping her eyes. “And that we’re ok. And that you still love me.”

Ashlyn let her head drop back as she closed her eyes and exhaled loudly after the brunette finished talking. She took a beat and then sat back up and took her wife’s trembling hands in hers.

“Baby, I forgive you. I don’t like what you did but I understand why you did it. You were just trying to take care of me because you know this...Gram thing...is really hard for me to handle.” She lifted one of Ali’s hands to her lips and kissed it softly. “And yes we’re ok. Well mostly ok. I’m still a little mad but I think I’m almost over it. I know you thought you were doing the right thing...”

“But I understand now that I was falling back in to that trap of trying to handle everything for you” Ali cut in, wanting to show that she really had learned her lesson.

“Right” the blonde agreed. “And I get how easy it is to fall into that trap because partly it’s just your nature. You like to take care of me. And look at everything you do for me professionally? All you do is take care of me work-wise. We’re going to have to be really careful not to keep fucking this up all the time.”

“You’re right. I hadn’t thought about the work stuff like that before, but you’re right. But none of this would have happened if I had just asked you what you wanted to do instead of just assuming I knew what was best for you.” Ali squeezed her keeper’s hands. “I’m sorry honey.”

“I know” Ashlyn smiled at her, the first real smile in over 24 hours. “And of course I love you. I love you so much. That’s never going to change.”

She pulled Ali into her lap and they hugged for a few minutes and then pressed gentle kisses into each other’s neck and across each other’s jaw and face. It was the first interaction that had felt normal since early yesterday morning.

“Do you want to go visit Gram for two weeks?” Ali asked her keeper as they separated their lips but stayed in the relaxed hug.

“Yes, if we can make it work.”

“And do you want me to come with you or do you want to go by yourself?”

“Al...”

“No, it’s not a trick question. You don’t have to say yes Ash. Just be honest.”

“Yes, I want you to come with me.”

“Are you sure?”

“Very sure.” Ashlyn grinned and kissed her wife again.

“Ok well we can fly down and leave the dogs with my dad and Vicki again, like we had planned for the honeymoon. Or we could drive my truck down and bring the dogs with us. Totally your call.”

Ali had thought of bringing the dogs with them when she saw how much Persey had comforted her keeper yesterday when she was so upset.

“You would do that? Drive twenty hours each way just so we could bring the dogs?” Ashlyn asked, her eyes wide.

“I would. I’ve always wanted to go on a long road trip with you. I figure we could do the drive down in two ten hour days. Give or take. We’ll need to take breaks for the dogs.”

“Oh so you’ve thought the whole thing through then have you?” there was a little bit of the old sparkle in the blonde’s eye.

“I have” Ali chuckled. “We can leave tomorrow morning if you want.”

“And then we’d drive back up together too at the end?”

“Yeah. I don’t want one of us to make the trip alone, especially not with the dogs” Ali clarified. “So decide carefully what you want to do.”

“I like it” Ashlyn declared definitively. “We’ll leave tomorrow morning. We’ll need to book a hotel for tomorrow night, a dog friendly one. And we’ll have to bring a bunch of their food in case we can’t buy it down there for some reason.”

They spent the next two hours planning their trip to Florida the next day. They let their families know what they were doing and Ashlyn called Gram to make sure it was ok if they brought the dogs to visit. She thought it was a wonderful idea. By the time they had eaten lunch and gotten themselves all packed up, they were feeling much more like their normal selves. There were awkward moments every once in a while but, for the most part, they had gotten past the hurt and moved on. 

“Oh Ashlyn” Ali said sadly when they finally turned the tv on much later in the afternoon. “It’s New Year’s Eve and it’s your favorite holiday and here we are sitting at home like bums.” She looked like she was going to cry again. “I’m so sorry I fucked that up too.”

“Ali, it’s ok.” The keeper gave her a hug. “We would have been jetlagged and out of it anyway if we had flown to Hawaii.” Ashlyn squeezed the brunette before pulling back. “As long as I have you with me on New Year’s Eve, that’s all that matters.” 

She gave Ali a slow, deep kiss. It was the first really intimate touch they had shared since yesterday morning and they were both relieved that it had the usual effect. They weren’t ready for much more at that point in the healing process, but it was a good start.

“We have to be on the road tomorrow at 8am and I’m sure neither of us got much sleep last night” the keeper continued. “Let’s go to bed early, set an alarm to watch the ball drop, and then go back to sleep like the old married couple we are. What do you say?”

“I say I love you Ashlyn Michelle Krieger. And I’ve loved 2017 more than any other year in my whole life.”


	35. Mini-moon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter deals with Gram getting her affairs in order and the Harris family coming to grips with the inevitable.  
> It's not all gloom and doom though. But I thought I should warn you that they talk about hospice care and health care surrogates and other end of life care options.  
> I promise I will warn you when I post the chapter with her death. This is not that chapter.

They spent New Year’s Day on the road. They drove in shifts and stopped every couple of hours to let the dogs out of the back of Ali’s truck. It was a pretty sweet set-up and the dogs didn’t mind riding in the truck at all. They weren’t crazy about spending multiple hours back there, but it was a comfortable space with two dog beds and a couple of comfy dog blankets. Ashlyn had bought the heavy rubber bed liner back when they first got the puppies so they had a nice flat surface to walk around on back there. And there were three windows that could be opened for air if they wanted to. It was cold out though so the temperature in the unheated back of the truck was good as it was. But when they got far enough south they would be able to let some air in if they needed to. They had a cooler and their luggage in the big backseat of the truck and all four members of the family were quite comfortable during the drive.

Ali and Ashlyn were both looking forward to their mini-moon. Once the hurt and anger and bad feelings had started to fade they were able to embrace the two weeks and turn them into their own special time away. They spent a lot of time singing along to their playlists and laughing and talking. Ashlyn decided to post the trip on her Instagram story. She included lots of footage of the dogs and the different places they stopped. Ali took several videos of the keeper that she used, but they decided to keep the brunette out of it as much as possible. They also tried not to show too much of the truck because Ashlyn didn’t want to upset her Suburu sponsor. 

When they hastily planned the trip the afternoon before, Ashlyn checked with Hannah to see if they were going to be around for a quick visit. But Dev had taken them to Aspen to ski for the holiday and they wouldn’t be back until later in the week. Both Ali and the keeper were sad that they wouldn’t be able to see Meg but were hopeful they could stop for a visit on the drive home in two weeks. Ashlyn had this idea in her head that she wanted to watch Meg show the dogs all of her toys and stuffed animals. 

“Sure it sounds cute now, but just wait until Fred eats half of her Shopkins and Persey chews up her favorite teddy bear” the brunette chuckled.

“Yikes, I didn’t think about that” the keeper replied slowly. “And it’s her shark. Come on Al, you know better” she teased. “Persey would destroy Shirley the shark.”

What they decided to do instead was to spend some time at UNC so the blonde could show Ali her old college stomping grounds. They couldn’t make it all the way down to Durham, NC on the first day, it was just too far. With all the stops for the dogs they weren’t going to make ten hours each day. At least not the first day. So that’s how they found themselves checking in to a Residence Inn by Marriott, one of the few major hotel chains that allowed pets, in Richmond, Virginia that New Year’s Day night. It wasn’t where they thought they would be but it had been a fun and different day and they were happy and content to be snuggled up together as they drifted off to sleep.

In what would turn out to be one of Ali’s all-time favorite days spent with her wife, they toured the UNC campus, walking the dogs to several of Ashlyn’s favorite places. The keeper was like a kid in a candy store. She wanted to show her wife everything that had ever meant anything to her during her five years at the school. They were disappointed, again due to their own lack of planning, that Whitney and Ryan were in California visiting her family for the holidays. Another person they couldn’t visit on their road trip. 

“I kind of like it this way though” Ali offered as they started to drive South again later that afternoon. “Just the two of us, in our own little travelling bubble.” 

“You’re right” Ashlyn grinned back at her pretty wife behind the steering wheel. “It’s sort of perfect if you think about it.”

They knew that they wouldn’t make it all the way to Satellite Beach that night after spending several hours at UNC. It was disappointing on the one hand because they wanted to get to Gram’s so they could spend time with her as soon as possible. But, on the other hand, it was their mini-moon and they were enjoying their time together and didn’t really feel like they wanted to race down to Florida if there was something important they could stop and do along the way. Savannah, GA was the stopping point for night two. 

“I know this wasn’t our original plan but I gotta tell you, I’m really having a good time on this road trip.” Ashlyn crawled up her wife’s naked body as she spoke and kissed the brunette’s lips.

“Me too” Ali replied breathlessly, still recovering from her orgasm. “And now that we have that out of the way I feel like we’re really ok again.”

“What do you mean? Did you not feel ok before we had sex?” the keeper sat up with a frown on her beautiful face. 

“No, I mean, I just still feel so guilty and I’m afraid you’re going to resent me, even though you’re trying not to.” Ali’s face fell as she spoke. “I don’t want to bring it all up again and I know I’m just going to have to learn to live with it...”

“Ali please” the blonde took her hand and kissed it softly. “I don’t resent you and I’m not going to. I’m over it. I understand why you did it and I believe that when something like this comes up again, you’ll make a different decision.”

“Really?” the brunette asked sheepishly. “I just feel so terrible...”

“That’s what you have to work on honey. I’m ok. I’ve already forgiven you and moved on. You have to do the same thing or we’re going to stay stuck here.” Ashlyn met her wife’s sad eyes and smiled softly. “Talk to Mattie or something, but figure it out. I don’t want you beating yourself up about it anymore. That’s what will piss me off.”

“Ok, I’ll try. I will.”

“Man, you really aren’t used to screwing up are you?” the keeper chuckled. “Well, here’s a newsflash for you sweetheart, you’re going to screw up again so you’d better learn to make peace with it and learn to forgive yourself or we’re going to have a problem.” She saw the determined look on her wife’s face and sighed heavily. “Al, we’re going to spend the rest of our lives together. That’s, like, sixty more years. You’re going to mess up again, trust me.”

“I really love you” Ali said as she sat up to pull her sweet wife into a hug. “And I love our road trip. There’s nobody I’d rather spend twenty-four hours in my truck with” she giggled “or sixty more years with” she added and kissed her girl deeply.

“Mmmmm, I love your mouth” the keeper mumbled against the brunette’s lips. “Kiss me again with that mouth.” 

As much as they enjoyed their road trip, they were all happy to pull into Gram’s driveway on Wednesday afternoon, two and a half days on the road and lots of laughs and pit stops later. Ashlyn and Ali were past one of the biggest problems their relationship had ever faced and they were relieved as hell. They didn’t admit it to one another, but they were both wondering if they were going to make a big, relationship-testing fuck-up part of every new year. They were two for two so far and not eager to continue the streak.

Gram’s house felt the same, for the most part. But there was something new about it too, besides the dogs being new visitors. It smelled the same, sounded the same and looked the same but something was off about it. When their plans had changed, Ashlyn called her brother to let him know they were coming to stay with Gram for two weeks. He had sounded relieved and also worried. Chris was the only person that Ashlyn had talked to about taking care of Gram for the next two months, or hopefully longer. After she had talked with Ali about hospice care and then learned about some of the different options, the keeper had called Chris and had a heart to heart with him about it. He didn’t take the conversation well and Ashlyn was afraid she may have chosen her ally poorly. She wanted to have someone to help her bring the family together so they could find out what Gram wanted and then figure out a way to make it happen. The original plan was to have the family meeting after the blonde had returned from Hawaii but now that plans had changed, Ashlyn wanted to have the family meeting as soon as possible. Gram wasn’t getting better. She was only getting weaker and they needed to get themselves organized.

“So what did Aunt Marie say? Is she coming?” Ashlyn asked her brother as they finalized the plans for the Friday family meeting.

“Yep, she’s coming. She’s not happy about it, but she’s coming. So are Carlin and David” Chris explained, mentioning his cousins, Aunt Marie’s children.

“What about Dad? How’s he doing?” the keeper asked. “He hasn’t called me back the last three times I’ve called him. Is he ok?”

“He’s not doing great. I think he’s taking this pretty hard to be honest.”

“What about mom? Can she help us with him?”

Tammye had always understood her ex-husband better than anyone on the planet, including Gram. They had been through, and put each other through, so much crap for so many years that neither of them were surprised or even disappointed by anything the other did. If Mike ever needed someone to call him on his bullshit Tammye could always get through. Aunt Marie was Mike’s younger sister. She was six years younger and they had never been close. The age difference turned into a personality difference which then turned into a lifestyle difference. When Mike was at his lowest Marie was out of his life altogether. She and her husband had kept their young family away from Mike and his family as much as possible. The young cousins saw each other at Gram’s house once Ashlyn and Chris had moved in there and that was it. As Mike and his family repaired their relationships the situation with his sister and her family improved. But Mike and Marie would never be close and they both knew it. They just didn’t like each other very much. Marie and her husband had divorced when their kids were in high school and he had moved away and wasn’t around much. Marie and her kids had come to Chris’ wedding and Ashlyn’s big 30th birthday party two years before. They didn’t spend Thanksgiving or Christmas together every year, but every two or three years instead. Sometimes Carlin or David would come to one of the big holidays but it was always last minute and unplanned. The split was no longer there between the families, but Mike and Marie pretty much ignored each other more often than not. 

Gram loved both of her children but they each had their own problems. Mike’s were obvious and well-documented. Marie’s were harder to see and, for Gram, harder to forgive. Marie was one of those people who was very critical of the people in her life. She was quick to judge and slow to forgive and, quite simply, not that nice. Both Chris and Ashlyn were surprised Aunt Marie was coming to the family meeting at all.

Friday morning Ashlyn went surfing and Ali stayed behind with the dogs. They didn’t want to leave them alone with Gram if they didn’t have to, especially not while the dogs were still getting used to their new surroundings.

“Did you have a good walk?” Gram asked as Ali sat down next to her at the table in the screen porch.

“Yes. It’s a beautiful morning” the brunette answered with a big smile. “I don’t know if the seagulls down here are saying something different or what, but all Fred wants to do is chase them.” She chuckled and looked down at the two dogs who were passed out under the table, exhausted after their big walk. “He doesn’t do it at home so I don’t know what’s going on down here.”

Gram laughed with her and then they were quiet for a few minutes, just watching the bird feeder in the backyard and the trees moving in the breeze.

“You know” Gram started, her voice clear but quiet. “She’s going to need you soon. More than ever before.” 

Neither woman moved, they both kept their eyes forward as they talked.

“I know. I’m ready. Hopefully I won’t mess up again.”

“I heard about the honeymoon” Gram reached over and patted Ali’s arm. “You weren’t wrong you know. You should have talked with her about it but you knew what you were doing. You knew it would kill her to go that far away right now.”

And just like that, with Gram’s absolution, the guilt that had been tormenting the brunette for almost a full week lifted up and floated away on that breeze. Ali felt lighter than she had in a long time and had to fight back her emotions and tears. She could tell the old woman had more she wanted to say.

“Thanks Gram. I’ll do better. I promise. I’ll take good care of her, always.”

“I know you will honey. I knew you would from that first visit. I could see it in your eyes, I can’t explain it” she paused. “I could tell you would fight through anything for her. And that’s what she’ll need soon.”

Soon. Gram had used the word a lot in their conversation and Ali wondered if the old woman knew something that she hadn’t told anybody else. She wondered if anybody had gone to her doctor’s appointments with her and gotten the straight scoop on everything yet. Before she could continue down that train of thought, Gram was talking again.

“I need to ask you to do something for me Ali, and it’ll be hard and I’m sorry to have to ask you.” 

Gram took a sip of her coffee and continued after she had put the cup back down on the table. Ali hadn’t moved a muscle. She was absolutely terrified by Gram’s words so far. 

“I was going to ask Beth but she’s got so much on her plate right now with the baby and trying to keep her flower shop in business. They’re really having a tough time right now, but I’m not supposed to tell you that. Oops” she smirked at the brunette and winked.

“Well if there’s anything I can do to help them...”

“Oh no, that’s not what I mean sweetheart” Gram put her hand out, palm up, inviting Ali to hold it.

“Gram, please just tell me what’s going on. It’s about the family meeting tonight, right?” Ali asked nervously as she took the woman’s hand and held it.

Gram sighed and looked back out at the yard with a sad smile on her face. “Yes it is. We’re going to get everything all figured out tonight, hopefully, and that’s great. We need a plan that we can all follow, it’ll make everybody feel better. And I understand why I need to tell everybody what I want. The last thing I want is to see some kind of family fight. Grandma Lilian taught me a lot about how to handle this, just by the way she handled all of her business at the end.”

Ali’s heart caught when she heard Gram’s words. The end. Fuck the end. Godammit.

“But just as important as having a plan is having someone who can make sure the plan is stuck to. Do you know what I mean?”

“You mean like someone to execute your will, like Ash did for Grandma Lilian?”

“Yes but I’m going to have Chris do that. I’ll make it easy for him but he needs to do that this time” she explained matter-of-factly as they held hands and looked out at the backyard. “I need you to be my health care surrogate.”

“What?!” Ali asked in a shocked whisper as she turned to look at the old woman next to her.

“I’m sorry honey, really I am. If there was any other way...”

“But why me? I’m not even...”

“Oh you’re just as much family as anybody else now. You’ve defended us more times than we probably even know about” she chuckled and nodded her head admiringly at the brunette. “Mikey told us about all the things you did to try and get Ann under control last year. And we all remember how you stopped him from killing that witch Hannah the year before.” She clucked and shook her head at the memory. “We’re going to need your help again.”

“I’ll do anything to help, but do you really think I’m the right person for that?”

“I know you are. There’s nobody else who’s strong enough. Not in our family. I’ll write it all down, exactly what I want to happen, and then we’ll both sign it. It’s a legal document so we’ll have to have a witness and then get it notarized...”

Ali stopped listening and tried to forget everything she had just heard. Gram wanted her to be the person who carried out her medical care wishes if she ever got to the point where she couldn’t make them herself. Jesus fucking Christ.

The family meeting had been less of a disaster than everyone had feared it would be. Mike actually stayed and listened to the whole thing instead of taking off when it got too hard or painful. Ashlyn’s cousins asked a lot of questions, things she and Chris had already researched and talked about. But it was good that everybody heard the whole story with all the options. The hospice care counselor that had come to lead the discussion for them had been wonderful. She was helpful and informative without being too ghoulish. She told them a lot about what they could expect at the different stages from that point on and gave them the names of a few books that had been written on the subject of caring for and being with someone as they’re dying. Aunt Marie had sat with a sour look on her face the whole time, even glaring at baby John once or twice when he squawked. 

Everyone listened calmly as Gram told them that she wanted to go into hospice care at a facility, like a nursing home or a hospital, when the time came. She did not want her family to try and take care of her at home. When Mike and Ashlyn and Carlin started to protest, the counselor reminded them that these were non-negotiable things that Gram had spent months thinking about already and that they needed to honor her requests. They didn’t have to like them, but they had to honor them and they were lucky that Gram was letting them know about it in advance so they had time to try and get used to it. Gram went on to tell them that she already had a DNR order in her medical chart which meant that the medical staff was not allowed to perform CPR or use any other extreme measures to save her life if her heart stopped. And she ended her short list of medical decisions by telling them all that she did not want to be kept alive by machines for any reason. If she couldn’t breathe on her own then it was time to let her go.

Baby John wasn’t being very fussy but Chris stood up and took him from Beth and left the room. 

“Now I’m going to write all of this down and make it official next week” Gram explained. “There shouldn’t be any confusion or any issues that could make this difficult for any of us, but just in case, I’m going to name a health care surrogate who can make my medical decisions for me...when I can’t do it anymore.” She cleared her throat as her emotions seemed to get to her for the first time in their almost ninety minute meeting. “Ali has agreed to do this for me and I can’t thank her enough. Thank you honey” she said directly to the brunette as everyone else in the room turned to look at her with shock and in some cases outrage on their faces.

“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard” Aunt Marie said dismissively. 

Ashlyn held her wife’s hand and squeezed it from their place on the couch. The brunette had told her about the conversation she had with Gram that morning so the keeper was the only other person who knew. She had been quiet about it for the rest of the afternoon and Ali wondered what was going through her mind.

“That’s enough Marie” Gram said more forcefully than Ali had ever heard her speak. “I’ve made my decision now just leave it alone.”

Tammye patted Ali’s leg from her seat next to her on the couch reassuringly. After several more minutes of awkward silence the counselor commended everyone for doing one of the hardest things they would ever have to do. Develop a plan for a loved one’s final weeks. She gave everyone her business card in case they had any questions and then Mike walked her to the door. 

“Thank you all for coming. I love each one of you and I appreciate you being here for this, for me.” Gram sniffled and then straightened up even further, determined not to break down. “I’m very tired and I’m going to bed. Stay as long as you like. Good night.”

Everyone made their way over to her to hug and kiss her goodbye and goodnight. Chris and Beth left with the baby a few minutes later and then Tammye followed suit. Ashlyn helped Gram up the stairs while Ali took the dogs out to the backyard with Carlin and David. Nobody knew what exactly happened, but ten minutes later there was loud yelling from the living room, where Mike and Marie were alone, and then the front door slammed and a car engine started.

“Oh shit, I knew that was going to happen” Carlin said under her breath as she walked back to the house. “Make sure she doesn’t leave without us D.”

“Ma! Ma wait!” David called out as he jogged around to the front of the house.

Ali stood in the backyard and watched it all happen around her. She saw Ashlyn come running down the stairs to talk with her father about what had happened. She watched Carlin run inside and grab her purse and then head out the front door. She heard Marie’s car pull away from the house much too fast. She took a deep breath and then lay down on the grass and looked up at the stars twinkling above her in the night sky. It was colder outside than she had thought and she was wishing she had slipped her jacket on. Oh well, the sweatshirt would have to do, she thought. She didn’t want to go back inside that house just yet. Fred and Persey settled in and lay down with her, providing her with some much appreciated extra warmth. She searched the dark sky for some familiar constellations and wished she was in Hawaii.

//

There were no repercussions from the family meeting. Everybody had received their marching orders from the family matriarch and that was that. True to her word, Gram had the paperwork drawn up and Ali signed it as promised. Gram had more paperwork done that made Chris the executor of her will and estate. Her will wasn’t finalized yet. She wanted to make sure she knew what everybody wanted so she could specify it on paper so there would be no squabbling after the fact. She knew, as did the rest of the Harris clan, that with Marie involved there was always squabbling. And then they didn’t talk about it anymore. 

The next day was Epiphany and later that night, after they had gotten into bed, Ali and Ashlyn exchanged their three small gifts. The keeper had wanted to have her whole family do Epiphany that year. She wanted each person to pick a name and they would each get three small gifts. But there hadn’t been time. And, honestly, it didn’t seem like anybody was in the mood. Gram was exhausted. The emotional toll from the meeting compounded the physical drain she felt every day now. It was shocking to see how much she had slowed down just since Christmas two weeks earlier. And the rest of the family was shell-shocked, trying to come to grips with what was really happening to the woman who had held them all together for as long as they could remember.

The next week was different. It was as if the family decided to thumb their noses at the situation and enjoy themselves anyway. They fought off the sadness and left it behind them in the dirt as they took time and did fun things that Gram loved. And Gram seemed better too. She had several good days in a row where she wasn’t quite as exhausted as she had been. It was encouraging and it lifted everyone’s spirits. They went to the beach for a lunchtime picnic one day. They borrowed a big fancy boat from one of Tammye’s friends and spent almost an entire day on the ocean. Gram had loved hearing about Ashlyn’s stories of fishing and then bringing their catch to a restaurant where they docked and ate their own catch of the day. So that’s what they did with Gram one day that week. The boat, it turned out when Ashlyn had asked enough questions of her mother, was owned by an acquaintance of Carol’s. Tammye’s new friend, who accompanied them on a couple of their family excursions that week, had called in a favor to get the boat and it had been a big deal and had made Tammye uncomfortable. They drove up the coast to Cocoa Beach and Cape Canaveral and then up to Titusville. Gram had worked in different shops and restaurants near the busy tourist area and Space hub when she was a much younger woman. That’s how she had met her husband. He worked for the state of Florida and built and repaired the roads and runways and any other state property that you drove or walked on. 

“I had just graduated high school and moved to the coast with my older sister. There was lots of work near Canaveral and the pay was better than back at home. I’ll never forget it” she explained as they sat around a picnic table at a beautiful park just North of Cocoa Beach. “I was working as a waitress at a little café just up the road a bit” she pointed across the busy street behind them. “And he came in for a cup of coffee and a slice of pie” she grinned at the memory. “It was late, those road crews worked at night to stay out of the sun and out of the way of the traffic, and I was the one to close up that night. I usually hated the customers that came in late because it meant I had to stay later” she chuckled. “But Frank, he was different. We got to talking and, before I knew it, it was two hours after closing time but it felt like only ten minutes had passed. It was always that way with your gramps.”

It was a very special week, for all of them. Each person had their own favorite outing for their own personal reasons, but the beauty of doing them all so close together, and with most of the family, was something they all knew was exceedingly rare. They knew they had been given a gift that week and none of them would ever forget it.

Friday morning came, no matter how hard they tried to stop the turning of the earth. Ali got the dogs settled into the back of the truck, wiped the tears off of her face for the millionth time that morning and then got behind the steering wheel as her wife tried to say goodbye to Gram. The brunette knew she had to be strong for her keeper but, the truth was, Ali’s heart was breaking. She loved Gram so much and was having a hard time dealing with this slow-motion loss too. When they finally got on the road they were both quiet. Ashlyn kept her face turned to the window, adrift in her thoughts. 

After getting a late start and spending Friday night in Charleston, SC the melancholy couple made good progress Saturday. They arrived in Washington, DC at 6pm and spent the evening playing with the dogs and Meg at their hotel. They knew it was going to be a very short visit and wanted Meg to realize it was different so they opted not to go to Hannah’s apartment. The toddler was thrilled to see the dogs and the couple and threw an absolute hissy fit when it was time to leave with Hannah. She was tired because it was 9pm and after her bedtime. The keeper apologized to Hannah for creating the scene but the redhead was remarkably kind about it. She pulled Ali out into the hall while Ashlyn held the screaming child and tried to soothe her, Persey right by her side.

“How do you feel about keeping her overnight?” Hannah asked quickly.

“Oh” Ali paused and tried to get her overstressed brain to work. “It’s fine with us but won’t that make tomorrow horrible for you guys?”

“It’s Sunday so I don’t really care if she’s tired and crabby. But I don’t want to mess up your schedule.”

“As long as we’re on the road by 8am we’ll be good” the brunette confirmed. “What about her shark and...”

“She’ll have to deal” Hannah replied as they went back into the room.

And that’s how one of Ali’s favorite pictures of all time came to be. The blonde was in the middle of one of the double beds in the hotel room, propped up a little bit with a pillow against the headboard. Her hair was splayed out across the pillow in both directions as she slept, mouth slightly open and face peaceful in repose. Little Meg was curled up into her side, like a miniature Ali, with her mouth open and her face hot and sweaty in sleep. On top of the covers were the dogs, one on each side, with their chins resting on Ashlyn’s stomach and thigh. Fred had to share his side with Meg so he was lower on the blonde’s body. The brunette took the picture when she came out of the bathroom after getting ready for bed. She crawled into the other double bed, missing her wife but too spent to even consider doing anything about it. She smiled five minutes later when she felt Fred jump over to join her, curling up behind her knees in the big empty bed.

The goodbye outside the House of Pancakes the next morning wasn’t any easier or quiet. But Ashlyn had already explained, for the fifth time, that they had to leave right after breakfast so they could get back home that night. Meg didn’t understand why she couldn’t just ride in the back of the truck with the dogs, all the way up to Gloucester.

“Hey, remember?” the keeper cocked her head. “If this short visit is too hard then we won’t be able to bring the dogs to visit you again. We thought we’d try it out but if you can’t be a good girl then we can’t do it again” she warned as Meg slowly started to crawl away from the dogs and out of the back of the truck.

“Thanks for being such a big girl Meg” Ali complimented with a tender rub of her back as Ashlyn picked her up. “You sure made the dogs happy. This is the highlight of their trip!” she continued as she shut the cap on the dogs with a couple of quick pats of her own.

“Bye doggies” she waved sadly and abruptly reached for Hannah, breaking Ashlyn’s heart a little bit.

Thankfully the traffic that morning wasn’t too bad. Thank you Sunday. They drove through NYC in the early afternoon and made another painfully quick stop to visit Kyle and Luna. He had a late lunch ready for them at his apartment in Brooklyn and as much as Ali desperately wanted to get home, she was very glad that they stopped. Sometimes a hug from her big brother just made everything feel ok again. That afternoon he held her and she started to cry against his chest. He walked her right back into his bedroom, still in the tight and tearful hug, and closed the door. He had felt the stress pouring off of her as soon as she had walked into his apartment.

“Here we go sweetie” he said softly as they sat at the foot of his bed and kept hugging. “Go ahead, let it all out, I’ve got you.”

Ali cried out her guilt and regret about her massive honeymoon mistake. She cried out the pain and worry for her wife as she tried to work though losing the most important person in her life. She cried out her own grief for Gram and everything the old woman meant to her. She cried out her nerves and fears about the huge change she was about to make in her own life, the very next fucking day. Then, after all the big stuff, she cried because she was tired and because she didn’t want to get back into the truck for the last five hours of their drive. She just wanted to stay there in the safety of her brother’s strong arms. She felt like she was a girl again and he was comforting her after some adolescent drama. When she had finally cried everything out and had almost gotten herself put back together again, Kyle squeezed her shoulders and met her eyes.

“I’m always here for you Al. Don’t try and do this alone, ok? You be strong for her and I’ll be strong for you.”

“Thanks BB, I love you.”


	36. Sexy Grad Student

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut warning

Ali woke up the next morning to the tantalizing smell of bacon and coffee and breakfast. She pulled socks and a sweatshirt on and made her way down the back stairs to the kitchen.

“There she is” Ashlyn greeted her from the stove with a bright smile on her face and an apron around her waist. “Sit. I’ve got it.”

She brought her wife a cup of coffee and gave her a soft kiss, spatula still in her other hand.

“Mmmm, morning baby.”

“Thanks babe. Morning” the brunette replied groggily from the small kitchen table.

In another few minutes they were eating Ashlyn’s world famous scrambled eggs with home fries, bacon and fresh fruit. It took almost fifteen minutes for Ali to wake up enough to start wondering where the fresh food had come from. It was just before 8am on Monday morning.

“Did you go shopping already this morning?” her face registered shock as she spoke. 

“I did” the blonde grinned as she took a drink of her juice. “I wanted to send my wife off to her first day of school with a good breakfast in her belly.”

“Ashlyn” the brunette tilted her head and looked adoringly at her keeper. She didn’t have to say anything else. The way she slowly blinked up at her wife with those big brown eyes carried everything she was feeling, all the appreciation and gratitude and devotion and love flowed right out of her expressive eyes. 

“I love you too sweetheart” the blonde answered with a sweet smile of her own and took a beat. “And I’m so proud of you.”

After they had finished eating Ali got up and took their dishes to the sink.

“No, no. I’ve got them. Please” Ashlyn pleaded as she physically pulled her wife’s hands out of the sink and over to the dish towel to dry them off. “Just go and get ready for class” she winked and grinned so big that her dimple came out.

Ali gave her a slow kiss, her fingers playing with the back of her keeper’s neck.

“Thank you for being so wonderful honey. I love you so much.” The brunette kissed her wife’s lips one last time and then turned and started up the back stairs.

“My pleasure. Believe me, it’s not every 32 year old that gets to be married to a hot grad student. I know just how lucky I am” Ashlyn called up the stairs after her sexy brunette, admiring her ass until it disappeared into the master bedroom.

//

After showering and getting dressed, Ali went up to the office, sat at her desk, took a deep breath and logged into her first lecture a few minutes before the 10am start time. She had a fresh spiral bound notebook open with her pen-wielding hand poised above it, ready to take notes. It had been twelve and a half years since she had been an official student and she was nervous and giddy with excitement at the same time. There were a million different types of online MBA programs available. Some of them were a combination of online lectures and actual in the classroom lectures. Some were strictly online. Each professor also had his or her own quirks and rules too. This professor, for example, required his students to log in and listen to his opening lecture live and in real-time. After that Ali could listen to the rest of his lectures on her own timeline. Still other professors required students to actually come to campus for the scheduled exams for their classes. Luckily all of the requirements for each class were posted in the syllabus so the students knew what was expected of them before they enrolled in any specific class. 

Ali had enrolled at Northeastern University in Boston and was participating in their online MBA program. She was doing the accelerated program and expected to complete her course work and achieve her advanced degree in 10-12 months. Her Master of Business Administration degree would specialize in sports and entertainment management. She would try to work in as much business and law as she could, as it pertained to her focus. She was particularly interested in contracts, for obvious reasons. Ali’s undergraduate Bachelor’s degree was in Public Relations and Marketing and she had taken more than a few Business classes at the time too. She had enjoyed it and knew she would be good at it. To get ready for her MBA work she had talked at length with both her friend Heather as well as Molly. They had both recently gotten their MBAs and helped the brunette understand what to expect. They both encouraged her to do a review course to freshen up on some basic business principles before diving into the aggressive and accelerated MBA program. They knew their friend well enough to know that once Ali was in it she was not going to slow down or stop for anybody or anything. The refresher course would, if nothing else, boost her confidence. Like the good student that she was, Ali found a couple of courses online and had worked through them in what little spare time she had during the Fall months. She had always been a good student and her parents, both teachers, had always emphasized how important education was for the body and the mind.

Part of the reason Ali had chosen Northeastern was that it was local. This way she could participate in actual study groups and work with her classmates on the projects that might come up in certain courses. It certainly wasn’t a requirement. That was the whole point of online classes. You could do them from wherever you were, whenever you wanted. But the brunette wanted to maximize her experience any way she could. It was expensive and she was not going to blow most of her life savings and not get the most she possibly could out of it. The second reason Ali had chosen Northeastern is because it had the fifth ranked MBA program specializing in Sports Management in the entire country. She was going to get her money’s worth if it killed her.

If she had done her research correctly, Ali expected to spend about eight to ten hours a day, six days a week, completing her coursework. Hopefully, if it all went well, she would have her MBA by December. There was a chance she could finish it a little earlier but she wasn’t going to bank on that. Especially not when she knew the first two months of the year were going to be rough with Gram’s situation. Ali had already promised herself that she was going to do the best she could and if it took her fifteen months to finish it, then that would just have to be ok. The one thing she had on her side was the fact that most of the major MBA programs awarded credits for ‘life or work experience’. And Ali could also test out of some of the more basic courses that she had already covered with her PR and Marketing degree. She had submitted a proposal to the program director requesting credits for her work at Knight-Harris. Her advisor had been very impressed and thought that the brunette’s experience founding and building and running the company for the past two years would definitely be rewarded with some credits.

Ali’s biggest challenge, and she was very well aware of it, was going to be not spreading herself too thin. She knew Jared could handle the basic day to day things at Knight-Harris. And she was hoping that Jennifer would make a nice, seamless transition to their team and take care of all of their clients’ needs from the agent’s end of things. If either of them needed help they were to reach out to Ali, if she hadn’t checked in with them first. If something came up that Ali couldn’t take care of because of her coursework or because of a class or project deadline, then she would have Ashlyn handle it. The keeper had already promised to be around and more hands on with the company during her off-season. Of course, that had been before Gram’s bad news. The logistics of having the company headquarters in their third floor office hadn’t become a headache yet. Jared came to the house and worked in the office several days a week, mostly from 11am – 5pm. He lived in his parents’ basement in Ipswich so the commute was easy. When he wasn’t in the office he transferred the official Knight-Harris phone line to his cellphone and worked remotely. He was a shareholder and had a stake in the health and growth of the company and was invested in its’ success. His work habits were wonderful and proved to both women that he understood what was important. 

The plan for February had been to move the official Knight-Harris office to the garage and give it its’ own space. It was Ashlyn’s idea.

“I think it’s important for Jared and Jen, when she gets up here, to not feel like they’re tiptoeing through our house to do their jobs.” 

Ashlyn explained back in December as they stood in their much emptier garage. Ali had turned in all of her samples and literature and everything else she had acquired and collected to help her sell windows for so long. That left a lot of empty space in the garage. 

“Do you think this is better for making them feel like they’re in a professional space?” the brunette asked, looking at the unfinished, time-worn studs and beams of the garage.

“Not right now, no” the keeper frowned as she saw the space through her wife’s skeptical eyes. “But it will be. I’ll have George finish it. Then we can paint it and move some furniture in and I can take my stuff down from the loft and put it back in the back storage area where your samples used to be. Then we can have all that space up there too.” Her eyes were wide with excitement and possibility and Ali had a hard time not falling for the vision too. “You already had the electrician hook things up out here. It won’t take much to do it Al.” 

So that was to be the keeper’s big project for February. Working with George to finish and insulate the garage and then make a plan to move the office over there. It was the best solution until they grew big enough to need to rent some real office space in Boston or Cambridge somewhere.

Ali felt like a realistic expectation for Knight-Harris for that year was for it to just maintain the current business and revenue level. That would already be an increase over the past two years because they had brought Jennifer on board and increased the number of clients they had by almost fifty. But she didn’t want anybody to do anything too crazy and bring on some level of demand that the company wasn’t ready to handle, especially with the brunette being a full-time student. Ali was really trying to take Sydney’s advice to heart. Don’t worry about things that haven’t happened yet. Prepare for them and plan things out, but don’t worry yourself over them until the problem was actually a real one.

//

After dinner that night they sat on the couch to catch up on some shows from the DVR. Ashlyn was in her favorite spot at the end of the couch by the door into the mudroom, with her legs stretched out on the coffee table in front of her. Ali sat on the other side of the couch, leaning forward to look over her syllabus for her second class that she would start the next morning. The keeper moved her eyes up and down her wife’s form as she absentmindedly thumbed through the shows in the DVR. The brunette had her hair down and over her right shoulder as she jotted a couple of notes on the syllabus in front of her. Her glasses had slid down her nose just a bit and she pushed them back up without even thinking about it. It was the middle of January in New England and, even though they kept the thermostat in the big old house at almost 70 degrees, they both usually wore sweatpants and sweatshirts inside during the winter. The loose, comfortable sweats did nothing to deter Ashlyn’s mind from wandering to the beautiful body beneath them. She watched as Ali chewed on her bottom lip and nervously flicked the pen in her right hand back and forth against her knee. The blonde had never been so attracted to anything in her life before. Not another person, not another activity, not even the ocean could pull her in the way Alexandra Krieger could. 

“Is that for tomorrow’s class?” the keeper finally asked, trying to separate her mind from her rising libido.

“Huh?” Ali looked up at the sound of her voice, seemingly surprised to realize where she was. “Oh, yeah” she smiled sheepishly at her wife. “’Business Law’. I really have no experience with the legal part of business and I’m nervous about it.”

“Well that’s why you’re taking the class, right? To learn about it. No need to be nervous honey. You’ll do great, just like you always do” Ashlyn offered supportively and smiled.

The brunette stopped flicking her pen and shifted sideways to face the keeper more, a soft and genuine smile gracing her face.

“How do you always do that?” she asked quietly and tilted her head down a little. She blinked up at Ashlyn and shook her head just a bit.

“What? Tell you the truth?” Ashlyn smiled back and then got up and moved next to her girl on the couch. She put her arm around Ali’s waist as the brunette rested her head on the keeper’s strong shoulder. “It’s easy. You’re amazing Al and, I know you’re nervous because it’s your first day, but you’re going to do so well this year. I’ve never been more sure of anything, except that I love you. My beautiful wife. My smart, adorable grad student.”

“God I love you” Ali said, shaking her head in amazement at the breadth of her feelings in that moment. “Thank you for always believing in me Ash.”

The brunette pressed a kiss into her keeper’s cheek and breathed in her scent. It was like a drug that travelled to her brain and then shot through her entire nervous system, electrifying every nerve in her body in thirty seconds. Ali felt the familiar twinge in her core as her pulse quickened at the powerful thought of her wife. She dropped the pen on the coffee table and swung her leg up and over, straddling the blonde and kissing her lips as she settled on her lap.

“Well hello” Ashlyn teased softly as they broke for air a minute later. Her face was one enormous smile and her dimple appeared.

“Hi” Ali breathed back as she leaned her forehead against her wife’s.

Ashlyn moved her hands up and down the brunette’s back, applying light pressure to Ali’s tense muscles.

“You’re so tight baby, let me rub your back for you” the keeper offered.

“Mmmmm, that sounds wonderful” Ali purred. “Are you sure you don’t mind?”

“I’d love it. Come on...” Ashlyn replied and lifted Ali’s sweatshirt over her head.

“Wait, just let me run and get something, real quick” the brunette said as she pecked her wife’s lips and got off her lap. “Just wait two minutes” she said with a twinkle in her eye and jogged towards the front stairs.

Ashlyn had barely enough time to tell herself to calm down and just focus on giving her nervous new student a nice back rub, before Ali was back. The brunette laid a big beach towel on the couch where they had been sitting while Ashlyn stood up and moved the coffee table a couple of feet away. They had learned from experience that the leather couch could be chilly against bare skin, especially in the winter. The dogs eyed the proceedings warily from their spot in the corner bend of the couch.

“Hey now, I never said anything about a naughty massage” Ashlyn smirked as she saw the shoebox she had gotten for Christmas. “Are we going to try these out?” she asked, referring to the ben wa balls inside the shoebox.

“I thought it could be fun” Ali smiled shyly as she met the blonde with a kiss. “But we don’t have to.”

“No, I think it’s a great idea” Ashlyn enthused as she took her own sweatshirt off. “Which ones should we start with?”

Twenty minutes later, after taking their time and stripping each other until they were completely naked, Ali was on her back, on the towel and Ashlyn was next to her, kneeling on the floor. The room was dimly lit and they had found a soothing, Asian style relaxation playlist for massage on the keeper’s Spotify account. The dogs had been moved to their crates and hadn’t put up much of a fuss.

“Are you ready?” Ashlyn asked, once her wife was lying on the couch.

They had been kissing and touching the whole time so they were both pretty wet and turned on. But Ali had brought some lube down with her just in case. 

“Mmmm hmmm. Will you do mine for me?” she asked, the excitement in her voice too much to hide.

The keeper smiled and kissed her thigh as she reached for the solid metal ben wa ball on the dish towel on the coffee table. It was medium sized and not too heavy. The brunette had tried to stay away from the heavier ones because she knew they were the most difficult to keep in. If they liked the balls and wanted to use them more often, then they could work their way up to the heavier ones. Ashlyn warmed it up in her hands for a minute, kissing across the brunette’s hips and mound and thighs as she waited. Ali bent her knees up and spread her lips out as she gazed back at her sexy keeper. The blonde put her finger inside Ali’s entrance to make sure she knew which way to push the ball. Of course she knew to angle it down a little bit, but she just wanted to be sure. The brunette loved the way she was always so considerate and tender with her.

“I love you” Ali said softly, eyes still on her wife.

“I love you too” the keeper answered and pushed the ben wa ball through the brunette’s opening, angling it down slightly at the entrance. The ball was an inch and a half around and not very heavy, medium sized, as the package described. Ashlyn pushed it further inside, gently and then removed her finger. “How does it feel?” the lust was evident in her voice as she licked her finger.

Ali took a minute to consider and put her legs back flat on the couch. “It feels good. It’s just kind of there, but I’m not moving or anything. That’s what’s supposed to feel nice. They move inside you when you move your body.”

“Do you want the other one too?” she asked as she warmed the metal ball up in her hands like the other one.

“Yes please” the brunette replied seductively as she bent her knees up again. Once the second ball was in she closed her eyes as she lowered her legs flat again. “Mmmmm.”

Ashlyn lay down on the floor next to the couch and quickly put one of the silicone covered plastic balls inside her own vagina. This ball was one of the ones that had another, differently weighted, ball inside of it. She moaned softly, so turned on by the whole atmosphere of the room.

“Hey” Ali said quietly and sat up, leaning on her elbow by the edge of the couch. “You were supposed to let me do that.”

“Sorry” her wife grinned up at her. “Couldn’t wait” she answered as she pushed the second one inside and watched Ali’s eyes darken above her.

The ben wa balls the keeper was using were a little heavier than the one’s Ali had inside her, but they were about the same size. Maybe only an inch and a quarter.

“Fuck Ash” she groaned and reached her hand out to caress the blonde’s bent knee next to her. “How do those feel?”

“Good, but weird” she tried to explain. “They move around on their own.” She sat up and grinned widely. “Really weird, but awesome.”

“You might not be able to hold them in once you kneel...” Ali warned, trying to make sure her love didn’t get disappointed.

“I know, I probably should have just done one to start with too” she shrugged her shoulders. “I’m not going to worry about it too much.”

Ali smiled and held her hand out for her wife to take. The keeper grasped it and started to get on her knees, so she could give Ali a massage, squeezing her pelvic muscles as she moved. The balls moved around inside her and sent lovely, tingling sensations all through her core. It felt great and she had a big smile on her face when she was finally kneeling next to the couch again. She brought Ali’s hand to her lips and nuzzled against it before kissing it.

“So far, so good.” She squeezed Ali’s thigh and then leaned down and kissed it too. “Your turn. Roll over princess.”

The brunette turned over onto her stomach and gasped once when she felt the balls sliding around inside her. She hummed as she felt her wife’s lips on the back of her thigh.

“Mmmmmm. This is great” she breathed out, loving all the sensations she was feeling. “How’re you doing?”

“Still ok, but goddamn this gorgeous ass of yours is going to kill me.” She whimpered a little as she moved her hand across Ali’s butt and squeezed her cheeks appreciatively. “I just got so wet that I’m having trouble...”

She was interrupted by the sound of one of the ben wa balls dropping to the floor between her legs. They both giggled while Ashlyn kept moving her hands across her wife’s ass and up her back.

“Don’t make me laugh or I’ll lose the other one!” Ashlyn whined and squeezed harder on the ball that was still inside of her.

“Just come lie down with me babe, it’s too hard when you’re upright.”

The other ball slid out as the keeper tried to get up onto the couch. She ran quickly to the bathroom and washed them again. When she got back to the living room Ali had moved herself and the towel up to the bend in the couch where there was more room. 

“Turn over so you’re facing the back of the couch baby” Ashlyn instructed. “Then I’ll lie behind you and I can still rub your back.”

They spent the next hour like that, together on the couch on one side and then the other and then facing each other. Their hands never stopped moving and their lips were usually pressed against soft, warm skin too. It felt incredible. Every touch had low-voltage electricity running through it. They moved slowly and deliberately over each other. But even their languid movements caused the ben wa balls to move around inside them, adding even more stimulation to their little game. By the time the agreed upon hour had gone by, they were both so worked up and turned on that they could barely speak. When they had gotten into their final position and faced each other, their eyes were so dark and hungry that they almost bailed on the last twenty minutes altogether. But they kept going, hoping the end result would be worth it.

“So do we take them out now or leave them in” Ashlyn asked breathlessly after another aggressive make-out session. “I don’t think I can wait any more Al. I feel like I’m going to explode.”

“Me too” the brunette panted out as she tried to catch her breath. “Fuck this feels amazing.” She nipped down her wife’s neck and bit hard at her collar bone.

“Ow!” Ashlyn groaned as Ali licked and kissed the spot to soothe it.

“Sorry babe. I’m losing my mind. I don’t care if we take them out or leave them in but I need you inside me right now.”

The keeper didn’t waste another minute. Ali was already laying on her left side so the blonde turned around on the couch so she was lying on her left side too, facing her wife’s hips and upper thighs. It had been a tricky maneuver because she didn’t want to lose the ben wa balls unless Ali told her to.

“Wow, look at you” the brunette teased appreciatively. “So many skills that only I get to see” she purred out.

Ashlyn barely heard the banter. As soon as she was flipped into their sideways 69 position she moved her mouth right to Ali’s clit and circled it with her hot tongue.

“Oh fuck!” the brunette yelled out, surprised by but happy with the development. “Yesssss...”

Before she got too caught up in the sensation she brought her right hand to Ashlyn’s clit and started making her own circles there.

“Jesus” the keeper exhaled as she felt her legs both quiver under her wife’s touch.

Ali leaned back against the couch and opened her hips. She bent her right leg up and rested it on the top of the couch, giving the blonde lots of room to work. She didn’t care if the balls stayed in or out any more. Ali just wanted her orgasm and she wanted it fast. Ashlyn followed her lead and bent her right leg up at the knee. She couldn’t lean against the couch so she just tried to hold her leg up so her wife could get to her drenched pussy and fuck her good. The brunette didn’t waste any time either. She ran her fingers through Ashlyn’s soaked folds and then put one finger inside her, feeling her way past the two ben wa balls. Ali started to thrust her finger and wondered if she should just take the balls out.

“Fuck yes!” Ashlyn shouted. “God that feels good.”

The brunette kept going and brought her lips to the keeper’s swollen clit and sucked on it. She took it all into her mouth and then flicked it gently with her tongue. She didn’t want to get Ashlyn too close until they were almost at the same place.

“Are you ready baby?” Ashlyn asked in a strangled, desperate voice.

“Yes. Fuck yes.”

They both started to thrust their fingers inside the other’s pussy. It was tentative at first as they got used to the ben wa balls sharing the space, but over the course of the next few minutes they were both panting and moaning and starting to twitch. Right on cue, they increased the pressure on their clits, Ali with her tongue and Ashlyn with her finger, until they both honestly thought they might black out from the pleasure.

“Oh Jesus Al, I’m coming” Ashlyn squeaked out a few seconds before her orgasm hit her. “Are you close...”

But she was cut off by the sound of Ali’s scream. She yelled so loud as her orgasm overtook her that Persey whined from the mudroom. The brunette’s body shook like Ashlyn had never seen it before and then she came hard herself, following her wife a few seconds later.

“Aliiiiii, fuuuccckk...” she shouted as all the muscles in her body tensed and released and then twitched as if there was a live wire dancing uncontrollably under her skin. 

They both thrashed around and ben wa balls popped out left and right. Ashlyn, benefitting from almost two years of experience now, ducked her head in closer to Ali’s crotch to stay out of the way of her flailing legs. At the other end, the brunette wrapped her arm around her wife’s thighs and clung to them, hoping to keep her close and off of the floor. She felt something wet leave her body at a very fast rate and got up on her elbow as fast as she could, mortified at the thought that she had just peed on the couch and in Ashlyn’s face.

“What’s wrong?” the keeper asked in gasps, still riding her high but noticing the look of terror on her wife’s face.

“I...I...” but she couldn’t say it. She tried to catch her breath, her chest heaving, as she closed her eyes, wishing it had been a dream.

Ashlyn was alarmed now and reached down for her wife’s hands as Ali lowered her leg back down and squeezed her legs together. She covered her face with both of her hands.

“Baby, what’s the matter” she asked again and pulled herself into a sitting position and then knelt on the floor next to her wife’s head. “Talk to me. Are you ok?” The keeper looked up and down Ali’s body but nothing seemed wrong. She was as gorgeous as ever, still pink and panting from what seemed like a massive orgasm. The lack of answer was starting to really get her panicked. “Ali. Please” she begged and pulled her wife’s hands away from her face to reveal tears. “Oh my God, honey, what happened?!” she yelled in desperation and worry.

“Nothing. I’m fine!” Ali yelled back and covered her face again. “I...I...think I peed.”

Ashlyn knelt there trying to figure out if she had heard the brunette correctly. Peed? Did she say peed? She looked down near Ali’s crotch and didn’t see anything that looked like pee, although it was hard to see in the sexy, dim lighting. Her face had been right down there and she hadn’t smelled or felt anything like pee. What the hell?

“Baby...Ali...” she tried to get the brunette’s attention. “Sweetheart” she said firmly and pulled her hands away from her face again. “You didn’t pee. It’s ok. Come here.” She opened her arms, leaned over and wrapped her wife up in a hug, kissing the side of her head and her shoulder at the same time.

“I didn’t?” she asked, blushing deep red and wanting to crawl into a hole and die. “Are you sure?”

“Do you want me to turn the light on so you can see better?” the blonde offered sweetly as she got up and turned on the wall switch. The light made them both wince for a minute. “Here, come look.”

Ali sat up, not sure if she was more embarrassed by peeing or by her ridiculous reaction to it. She rolled her eyes and shook her head as she opened her legs and scooched back a bit so she could look.

“See?” Ashlyn encouraged as she knelt down again and began kissing the tops of her thighs. “Nothing but yummy goodness going on down here.” 

The brunette tensed at the touch but then relaxed again as a wave of relief washed over her. She dropped her head back down on the couch and chuckled softly, enjoying how wonderful Ashlyn’s mouth felt.

“Oh my God I’m such an idiot” she moaned and covered her face with one forearm while she reached down and played with her wife’s hair with her other hand. “I’m so sorry honey. I ruined everything.”

“What are you talking about now, crazy lady?” The keeper lifted her head from between Ali’s thighs and then crawled up her wife’s sexy body. “Hey” she said when she got up to her face. “You didn’t ruin anything. That was fucking hot as hell and I’m still not sure if I can feel my toes yet.” She chuckled and kissed Ali’s lips.

“Ugh, it was amazing and I loved it so much Ash” Ali moved her forearm to look into tawny hazel eyes. “And then, when I came I felt something gush, really fast, and it kind of felt like pee.” She closed her eyes, embarrassed again.

“But it wasn’t, so will you please stop with all this drama?” the blonde asked plainly. “You probably just squirted. Sometimes that happens. Or so I’ve heard.”

“Have you ever squirted?” she asked, dropping her voice to a whisper when she said the word ‘squirted’.

“Not that I’m aware of. And it sounds like something you can feel so I’m going to say no.” She grinned when she saw that the brunette was starting to shake off her embarrassment and return to normal. “And, no, nobody I’ve ever been with has squirted either. At least not that I knew about.”

“I thought squirting was peeing?” Ali’s face twisted adorably in confusion.

“I thought it was like a guy coming, like ejaculating” the keeper replied with her own confused look. “But that’s not my area of expertise” she chuckled. “Here, let’s see.”

After spending ten minutes tangled in each other’s arms, reading about the difference between squirting and female ejaculation on Ali’s phone, they both giggled at themselves and the situation.

“So you apparently had such a mind-blowing orgasm that you ejaculated a little bit. I think that’s sexy as hell. Now I feel inadequate. You’re such a goddamned overachiever.” Ashlyn was teasing and trying to make sure her girl knew that her body hadn’t done anything gross or inappropriate.

“Well that felt fucking unbelievable Ash. I mean, that was hot as fuck and I really thought I was going to pass out a couple of times.” She leaned over and gave her wife a slow, deep kiss. “Next time I won’t kill the ending though. I promise.”

“I like this ending just fine, you sexy grad student.” Ashlyn kissed her again and it quickly became hot and bothered. “And I think in another hour I’m going to like that ending too.”

//

That Friday afternoon was the NWSL draft and Ashlyn was going to be stationed at Breakers HQ again for the duration. She had been working her social media to get the fans pumped up and excited about the new class of rookies coming into the league. Kristie Mewis and Morgan Andrews were joining the keeper as the two other local gals. Because of the NWSL deal with Lifetime TV, the draft was going to be aired live for their cable tv audience. It was being held in Chicago that year and Stephanie McCaffrey was part of the Red Stars on-hand talent. She and Kristie and Sam Mewis were also covering the event from their Sporting Chic company perspective with Sam joining Steph at the actual draft. Whitney and Ryan had come up to Gloucester the day before so she could participate again as well. They were going to stay at the big old house for a week and then go on vacation to someplace warm and tropical for two weeks. Ali and Ashlyn were both jealous of their plans. Next January, they told themselves, next January they would finally get their big tropical vacation. They hoped they wouldn’t have to wait that long for their honeymoon but it was looking that way.

The draft was the most entertaining one yet. More ‘regular’ sports journalists covered it than ever before and all ten teams took advantage and were active on social media and interacting with their fans. Ashlyn got Rose Lavelle on Facetime with her bulldog and Steph McCaffrey got Christen Press on Facetime with her dogs and they made a poll to see which dog was cuter. The keeper surreptitiously included a cute picture of each of her dogs, posed with her of course, in the poll and the voters went crazy. Stephanie playfully accused her of cheating and rigging the vote when the picture of Ashlyn and Persey won the poll several hours later. The other big event was Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola showing up at Breakers HQ to be interviewed by the ladies about which rookies they thought were going to make an impact in the NWSL that season. The Patriots were in the playoffs again and were preparing for a big game that Sunday at Gillette stadium so it was easy for the two players to come by and help Ashlyn out. The Lifetime TV people loved it and so did their audience. The Breakers media team took advantage and filmed several different promos that they would use throughout the season. All in all it had been another very successful PR event for the league and, specifically, for Ashlyn. She was as charismatic and funny as ever. And she somehow even held it together when she gave a shoutout to Gram who, she told the viewers, was watching from Florida.


	37. Goodbye Gram

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: this is the chapter with Gram's death.

Ashlyn spent two weeks in Gloucester, then two weeks in Satellite Beach. Then five days in Gloucester, she had come home to spend their February anniversary together with her wife, and then back to Satellite Beach for another week. And then Gram was gone. The six month diagnosis she had been given back in September was frustratingly accurate. Her condition had deteriorated quickly after Ali and Ashlyn’s mini-moon the first two weeks of January. By the time the keeper returned, two weeks later, she needed oxygen almost all the time to breathe and she needed help getting dressed and into and out of bed and the bathroom. Ashlyn had called her wife in tears her first night back at Gram’s house.

“I’m so sorry honey. That’s awful news. What can I do to help?”

“Nothing” the keeper gasped out, trying to get control of her crying and breathing so she could actually say words. “Oh God she looks so old and sick. I can’t believe it’s happening. It’s really fucking happening and there’s nothing I can do...”

Ali let her cry and said soft comforting things to her as she did, just to let her know that she was there with her. After a long time the blonde finally began to calm down.

“Sweetheart, I know you feel helpless but there is something you can do” Ali offered carefully.

“Like what?” Ashlyn asked and blew her nose.

“Now’s the time for you to take her someplace she wants to go. Pretty soon she won’t be able to get out of bed, so it’s time.”

“You mean take her on a trip? I don’t know Al, she’s...”

“It doesn’t have to be a long trip or an overnight trip. Just think of a place you’d want to go if you were in her place. Like when we drove her up the coast and she talked about meeting Gramps.”

The keeper was quiet and Ali could practically hear the gears in her blonde head turning. 

“You don’t have to figure it out right now, think about it tonight and tomorrow and then do it in a couple of days. Get Chris or your dad to come with you if you need help moving her around.”

“No, I can lift her myself. I practically had to carry her up the stairs tonight.” Ashlyn’s voice was sad and low. 

“And don’t let her try to talk you out of it” Ali added. “Don’t take no for an answer.”

Three days later the keeper drove Gram’s car slowly down a gravel road in tiny Midway, Florida. It was only about one third of the population of Satellite Beach. Midway was a swampy little town in Central Florida, about an hour directly North of Orlando and it sat just South of Lake Monroe. The gravel road didn’t even have a name, it just extended East and West when you got to the end of Thoroughbred Trail. 

“That way” Gram had said and pointed to the left, the West end of the gravel road that took you back towards the lake.

The old woman had tried like hell to talk her granddaughter out of their foolish daytrip but Ashlyn had insisted. She had thought of everything and when Gram finally ran out of objections, they got in the car and started their hour and a half drive. They stopped for a quick lunch along the way, the blonde letting her grandmother choose the place. Gram talked about her childhood home the whole time they drove. They never had much money and life for the family had been hard.

“There it is” she said softly as she leaned forward and rested her hand on the dashboard after pointing with it. 

The ramshackle house she pointed out was small and grey and faded. There was more dirt than grass around it and there was an old car in the driveway, up on cinderblocks. Ashlyn swallowed and started to regret her great idea. 

“It sure doesn’t look like much does it?” Gram asked rhetorically. They were quiet for a few minutes, both just taking in the view of the house and the surrounding area. “Smells the same” she chuckled, leaning her head closer to the open window.

A thin woman pushed open the squeaky screen door at the right side of the house and stood there with her hand on her hip as she stared at the strange car in front of her house. She looked about Ashlyn’s age, maybe younger, it was hard to tell. There were at least two children moving around her legs but, again, it was hard to tell. She was probably wondering what the hell they were doing there in the middle of a Wednesday afternoon at the end of January.

“We used to walk down the trail there to get to the lake. The best spot was where the canal and the creek met the lake. It was wide and flat and usually had more sand than grass” Gram chuckled again, still looking out her side window and not noticing the woman.

A half hour later Ashlyn was pushing Gram, in her wheelchair, across the packed down dirt and grass of the side yard towards the trail that would take them to the lake. She had explained the situation to the woman at the house and been given permission to do whatever she needed to do for her grandmother. The woman had four children with her, all under the age of ten it appeared, and had been very kind as she spoke with the keeper. The woman had warned the blonde that she didn’t think the wheelchair would be able to make it all the way there. The trail had tree roots all across it in several places. Ashlyn explained that she just had to try and thanked the woman very much for her kindness.

Sure enough, she had pushed, and sometimes pulled, the wheelchair about halfway down the trail before they had to stop because of tree roots rising six or eight inches above the beaten down path. Gram had complained the whole time that she could walk. But the keeper wanted her to save her strength for when they got to the lake. Gram chuckled when she saw the roots.

“Now can I walk?” she asked with sass and a smirk and they both laughed at their situation. 

The whole trail was about 500 feet long, about the length of a football field and two thirds of another one. Ashlyn helped her grandmother stand up and then picked her up, bridal style, making the old woman yelp in surprise.

“Ashlyn Michelle Krieger, you put me down right this minute!” she said harshly.

“I will in a few minutes Gram, I promise” the blonde said with a grin as she walked as carefully as she could down the trail.

She was relieved that Gram was lighter than she remembered, and then she was crushed when she realized why. She was sick and dying and not eating very well anymore. The poor thing weighed barely 100 pounds and Ashlyn gritted her teeth in momentary anger.

“Do you carry Ali around the house like this?” Gram teased as they slowly made their way down the trail.

Ashlyn laughed out loud at the question. 

“No” she laughed again and shook her head. “She’s heavy. Don’t tell her I said that though” she admitted sheepishly. “She’s solid, lots of muscles...”

“I know what heavy means” Gram chuckled as her granddaughter blushed slightly. “She’s gorgeous, that’s for sure. And I’m glad she’s strong. She’ll have beautiful, healthy babies with that body.”

They were quiet for a few more minutes, both trying not to cry about the fact that Gram would not be around to meet any of Ashlyn’s babies. Just when the blonde thought she might have to stop and put Gram down for a minute to rest, the trees thinned out and the big lake spread out before them.

“Ahhh” Gram exhaled and then grinned.

The keeper stopped and carefully stood her grandmother up, not letting go until she seemed sturdy on her feet. She was hoping there would be a bench for Gram to sit on so she could go and fetch the wheelchair but there was nothing there but dead tree branches and sandy grass. Or grassy sand. The gentle lapping of the lake water on the shore made Ashlyn relax without her even having to think about it. Gram closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, losing her balance a few seconds later.

“Easy there Gram” the keeper said softly as she steadied her.

Just then they heard the sound of small voices and giggles coming down the trail behind them and Ashlyn turned to see the woman from the house and her four children making their way towards them, carrying Gram’s wheelchair. Mostly the mom and the ten year old carried it while the three younger ones talked and teased each other as they walked along the trail.

“Wow, thank you so much” the blonde said enthusiastically. “Really, that’s so kind of you.” She met the woman’s eyes and they exchanged a knowing look. It took Ashlyn a few minutes to understand it but then she realized that this woman must have taken care of her own grandmother or loved one and remembered some of the challenges.

They spent an hour at the edge of the lake, right where the canal and the creek met, and talked with their new friends. Gram asked them all about the lake and told them stories about when she was a little girl. It was barely 60 degrees out and Ashlyn was worried about Gram catching a cold, but she had wrapped her legs in a blanket and they were dressed for the weather. Besides, she reminded herself, it was the kind of 60 degree day that felt like 70 degrees when the sun hit you, and they were facing west and enjoying that warm Florida afternoon sun. The keeper even let her stick her feet in the cold lake water, for old times’ sake. It had been one of the best hours of Ashlyn’s life and she could tell by the sparkle in her grandmother’s eye that she felt the same way. 

It was after 3pm by the time they got back to the car and said their goodbyes. Ashlyn thought Gram would be exhausted and fall asleep on the drive home but she was wrong.

“We need to stop one more place Bashy.”

The wheelchair stopped in front of some flat, plain headstones in the tiny cemetery just outside of Midway, FL. They were the kind that just lay flat on the ground with the name carved into the top of each stone. ‘Holatka’ was the family name and there were three of them in a row, close together. Ashlyn recognized the name from stories Gram had told her about her father’s native American family history. Those stories were part of what led the keeper to get the skull and headdress tattoo on her right shin.

“Help me up” Gram instructed.

The blonde pulled her grandmother up and helped her get closer to the headstones.

“Now help me down.”

Ashlyn knew better than to object. She would be strong enough to lift her back up when they were done, but just barely. The keeper watched as Gram pulled the grass away from the edges of the headstones where it was overgrown. She joined the old woman on her knees and started doing the same thing to the other two stones. She watched Gram run her hand all across the stone, cleaning stray bits of grass and dirt off of it and then took care of the two other stones the same way.

“This is my father, my mother and one of my sisters. She died when we were young. Got the influenza bad and couldn’t shake it.”

“Isn’t that the flu?” the blonde asked, innocently.

“Yes, but back then it could kill you if it was strong enough, and you were weak enough.”

Ashlyn looked at the date on the headstone. ‘1943’

It was dark as they drove out of Midway, FL and the keeper thought Gram was asleep. The radio played some old classic songs softly in the background as they headed back to Satellite Beach. Ashlyn almost jumped out of her skin when her grandmother spoke slowly and quietly in the darkness, halfway home.

“You made an old woman very happy today little one. Thank you.”

Two days later, the hospice nurse who had come to evaluate Gram told them that it was time for her to move into a hospice facility. Mike and Ashlyn had been at the house with Gram at the time and they were both stunned that it had come to that so quickly. Mike stayed up in Gram’s bedroom with her while Ashlyn walked the nurse to the front door and asked her a million questions. The bottom line was once the patient got to the point where they couldn’t take care of themselves anymore, it was time to make the move. Chris and Ashlyn spent the next day visiting the handful of nursing homes, assisted living facilities and hospitals in the area that had a hospice program. The one that Gram had picked out was at a local nursing home and it was pretty horrible. They had looked at that one first because it was the one in Gram’s paperwork. But Ashlyn could hear her wife’s voice in her head, urging her to keep looking. And she knew from her own experience up in Gloucester with Mrs. Cummings, Mrs. Riley’s mother and Grandma Lilian’s friend, that there were nicer places. She dragged Chris to five or six more facilities. Finally they found one that didn’t seem like a literal waiting room for death. 

“The hospice unit at the assisted living place is the best one. That’s where I want her to go” she explained to Ali that night on the phone.

“Well that’s where she should go then” the brunette agreed, happy to hear her keeper handling the new change so well.

“Yeah, but it’s three times as expensive as the one she picked out.”

“Oh.” Ali was quiet for a few minutes.

“Al?”

“Yeah babe, I’m still here. Sorry, I’m just...”

“I really want her to go to the good place. I want to pay for her to go there. Can we do that?” Ashlyn asked in the quietest voice her wife had ever heard her use.

“I think so...” Ali paused again.

“What are you doing?” the keeper asked, aggravated that the brunette couldn’t give her the attention she thought the conversation deserved.

“Sorry honey, I’m doing some math” she answered, still sounding distracted. 

“Well can you just give me five fucking minutes Al?!”

“Whoa” Ali said, surprised at the venom coming from the other end of the phone. She took a minute and bit her tongue. Hard. “Ashlyn I’m paying attention. I’m trying to figure out how much money we can swing for the good place.”

It was quiet for a few minutes. Ali willed herself to calm down. She replayed their conversation in her head and realized that, from Ashlyn’s perspective, it had sounded like she was too busy with her own stuff to listen to and participate in their conversation. When she stopped the playback in her mind she became aware of her miserable wife crying softly into the phone.

“Ash” she said softly. “Sweetheart it’s ok. I’m here babe. I’m with you honey.” She waited another minute. “I’m sorry it sounded like I wasn’t paying attention. I should have told you what I was working on. That’s my fault.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s ok. We’re good honey. You’re doing such a good job. It must be so hard and I’m so sorry you’re going through all of this. It really sucks.”

“So you think we can do it?” she asked again as she stopped crying and brought her focus back to the task at hand.

“I think we can, yeah. I’ll just defer my enrollment until next year sometime. I can’t stop this semester because it’s already paid for but...”

“No. Absolutely not.” Ashlyn’s voice was loud and clear on this issue. “You’re not stopping your MBA program Ali. There has to be another way.”

“Well, there’s really not. We’ve got George scheduled to start working on the garage next week. My commission checks aren’t coming back, I shipped my last job last month so that was it.” She paused as her mind raced to find another solution. “My tax return will help but my appointment isn’t until March. I’ll call and try and move it up...”

“Al, honey, slow down.”

“My MBA will almost wipe out our entire savings Ash. It’s the only way. And I’d much rather spend the money on Gram. We’ll figure something else out for my next semester. Let’s just worry about that later.”

“I’m thinking the same thing, but you’re definitely enrolling in your next semester. When’s the deadline?”

“The end of March.”

“Ok, well, let’s just see what happens. Maybe I’ll get a big endorsement or something that’ll make everything work out” she chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. “And my teeny tiny checks from the NWSL will start coming in again in April. So, there’s that.”

They both laughed at their ongoing joke about her teeny tiny checks from the NWSL. Whenever either of them wanted to splurge on something, which hadn’t been too often once they decided to go all-in with Knight-Harris and throw a wedding, the other would joke about Ashlyn’s NWSL check covering a small portion of the cost. The laughter was just what they both needed at that point in the conversation.

“I love you Ashlyn” the brunette said and the keeper could hear the smile in her voice. “Nothing’s more important than Gram right now. Take care of her. We’ll make it work somehow. Ok?”

“Thanks baby.”

//

When Ashlyn flew home to Boston the following week, New England was experiencing one of its’ winter storms. It was February 7th and there was heavy snow falling all around the big old house. The next morning was their actual two year anniversary, not their wedding anniversary, and they spent the day together doing absolutely nothing but holding each other as close as possible. Ali had made a dozen different plans to celebrate but her keeper had finally admitted that she just wanted to be still and hold her wife for as long as she could, which sounded more than perfect to the brunette. Ali had worked hard so she could take two whole days off and spend them however Ashlyn wanted to spend them. 

“I wish you had let me come down to visit you honey.” 

Ali sat on the edge of the bed and finished drying her hands on the hand towel from the bathroom. She had just washed her hands after giving her wife a sports massage to try and help her relax and de-stress. Normally the blonde fell asleep at the end of the intense massage but not this time. She reached for the brunette and asked her to stay there with her while she tried to relax.

“I talked to Mattie on the phone and she thought it would be better for me to get away and come home for a break” Ashlyn explained. “I thought she was crazy at first, but now that I’m here...” she stopped talking as her tears fell.

“Aww sweetheart, it’s ok. I don’t care where we are, I’m just so glad to be with you” Ali cooed as she kissed the top of her wife’s head.

“No, Mattie was right” the blonde sniffled. “I didn’t realize how much stress I was carrying until I got back up here.” She exhaled loudly a few times, trying to calm herself down. “I needed to get away.”

Ali remembered watching her friend Erica care for her mother at the end of her life. It was brutal. She didn’t envy her wife and she knew there was nothing she could do to help her except love her and try and be there to support her. The problem was, she couldn’t actually be there to support her and she was furious about the timing of everything. If Gram had told them in September or even October then the brunette wouldn’t have enrolled for that first semester. She just would have waited a few months. And if she had gotten sick mid-way through the year then Ali would feel more comfortable and confident in her MBA work so she might have been able to do it from Florida and be with her wife the whole time. As it was, it was too late to get out of it and too soon to take it easy. It was so expensive and there was no way the brunette was going to risk her success in the program by trying to do too much and not focusing on her classes. Ashlyn had agreed with her 1000% when they had discussed it. The keeper was more adamant about it than even her wife had been. Ali was going down for a four day weekend visit at the end of February. She was hoping to be there when Gram passed away, if possible. But she didn’t want to wait too long either. 

“We just got her really settled in Tuesday” the blonde continued. “It’s a nice place and we got her her own room so she won’t have to worry about a roommate snoring and keeping her up.”

“That’s great. Did you bring her butterflies...”

“Yep, she’s got all of her favorite things. Butterflies, her crystals, her pictures...” she paused to get her breath back. “I got a picture from our trip to the lake framed for her and brought it to her yesterday before I left. She loved it.”

“It’s good that Aunt Marie can come visit so much. I know they have a tricky relationship but they’ll probably want to try and smooth that out now.”

“Yeah, the assisted living facility is so close to her work that she can come over for lunch every day if she wants to and her work schedule allows.”

“How’s your dad doing?”

“He’s a mess. I’m so afraid he’s going to fall off the wagon again over this.” Ashlyn shook her head sadly from her prone position and closed her eyes. “It’s not fair to expect Chris to babysit him either. He’s got his hands full with the baby and he’s trying to take care of Beth’s flower shop and the surf shop at the same time. Gram let that slip the other day.”

“I thought your mom’s friend, what’s her name again...” Ali started.

“Carol.”

“Right, I thought Carol had somebody who could help Beth out during the week. How did that work?”

“She just started this week so I really don’t know. But if it works that would be awesome. She’s either going to have to start bringing the baby to work with her or they’re going to lose the business.”

Ali made a mental note to make sure that everybody that was going to send flowers to Gram used Beth’s shop for it. And they would need to be sure to include Beth’s information in the obituary and on the online remembrance page when the time came too. People were going to spend the money on flowers anyway, they may as well spend it someplace that really needed it. Gram wouldn’t mind a bit. They were both quiet for a few minutes and Ali thought the blonde had fallen asleep.

“I’m so afraid of how she’ll be when I get back there next week” the keeper’s voice was quiet and still and fearful.

The couple spent the five days doing everything they could to de-stress the blonde. They only had three full days, the other two were half days before and after Ashlyn’s flights. The keeper got lots of massages and they went for some nice walks with the dogs in the beautiful fresh snow. They didn’t have as much sex as the brunette had planned or hoped for, but she wanted to go at her wife’s speed that long weekend. Ashlyn was mentally, emotionally and physically drained. For the first time ever, Ali worried that the keeper might not be in good enough shape when her preseason started in mid-March. And the brunette wasn’t sure why she had started doing it, maybe it was because she was a student again and she was doing a lot more note-taking and writing in general, but she started writing letters to her love. Every couple of days she took a few minutes and just wrote down all the things she had been missing about her wife in that exact moment. She told her how much she loved her and what an amazing and strong person she was and how proud she was of her for doing what they both knew was one of the hardest things she would ever do. Ashlyn wrote back once or twice, but it wasn’t about that for the brunette. She didn’t need a return letter. She needed to give her wife something that she could hold in her hand during her dark moments and know that there was somebody who loved her more than anything else in the whole world. Ali was moved to find one of her letters folded up in the keeper’s messenger bag pocket. She was helping her get packed up for her return flight home and wanted to load up the bag with some tissues and chapstick and other little things that weren’t vital but made life a little easier sometimes. 

“That’s the third one you sent me.”

Ali jumped at her wife’s voice behind her. She was in the mudroom leaning over the bag on the desk there.

“Ash, you scared me” she chuckled and put her hand to her chest. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to snoop. I was just putting...”

“It’s ok baby. I know” Ashlyn said simply as she came and hugged her wife from behind. “You were doing what you always do, making my life better in a thousand different ways.” She leaned over and kissed Ali’s neck and inhaled her scent, hoping to store it up until she would see her again in two weeks’ time.

“I’m sorry I can’t be down there with you. I...”

“Shhhh, don’t even say it. I hope you’re not still thinking about it either” Ashlyn chastised. “We agreed that you needed to stay here and that hasn’t changed. I need you here, doing just what you’re doing. The whole future of our business is resting on your shoulders. No pressure” she teased and kissed one of Ali’s beautiful shoulders. “And I feel close to you even when I’m down there because of things like that letter and all your texts and phone calls. And, most importantly, I know that if I need you all I have to do is call you and you’re with me.”

“Ashlyn” the brunette turned in her arms and embraced the love of her life. She pulled back to study her beautiful face and touched her lips tenderly with her fingertips. The hazel eyes were greyish and a little muddled that morning, but the light in them was still there. Even with so much sadness pressing in on her, the blonde’s light still shone through.

//

Gram’s last week was a slow and steady decline. Ashlyn returned to her bedside late Monday evening, telling her how the dogs and Ali were and giving her their love. Each day that week something else changed, for the worse. Gram spiked a fever, then developed a bladder infection and a rasping cough that made her whole, frail body shake. She slowly started fading mentally as well. She slept more and talked less. She would have a few times a day where she seemed sharp as a tack and it was like having the old, healthy woman back in the room with them. But those times got shorter and then happened only twice a day, and then eventually, once a day. The family visited and made a schedule so there was always somebody with her. They didn’t want her to wake up or come out of her fog and be alone. By the end of that weekend, seven days after Ashlyn had returned, Gram stopped eating very much and needed an IV for fluids to keep her comfortable. They used the IV to administer the morphine to keep her pain under control. That Sunday afternoon both Chris and Ashlyn happened to be there with baby John, hoping to catch a few lucid moments with their grandmother. She opened her eyes and they were so excited that their wish had come true.

“Mikey, you’d better be careful with that baby girl now. It’s Florida but she’ll still get cold” her words were a little slurred and she spoke at half of her usual volume. She looked directly at Chris as she spoke, and then Ashlyn. “Tammye, are you feeling better now? You gave us a real scare. Where’s Christopher? I don’t see him...”

Chris and Ashlyn exchanged a look and then turned back to their grandmother who was getting increasingly agitated about the missing Christopher from wherever her mind was.

“I’m feeling much better” Ashlyn stammered out, looking back to her brother for reassurance. He shrugged his shoulders and they both looked at Gram again. “Christopher is at, um, a friend’s house. He’s fine” the blonde continued.

“Oh, alright, that’s good then” Gram nodded her head and seemed to relax a bit. 

They talked for several more minutes with Ashlyn pretending to be Tammye and Chris pretending to be Mike. Then, with no warning, Gram recognized them as Ashlyn and Chris and asked how baby John was doing, happy to see him. And that was the last time she was herself. She slept most of the day Monday, unless she was crying out in pain. Whatever the cancer had done to her in the late hours of Sunday night, it hurt like hell. The hospice nurses increased her morphine to keep her comfortable and warned the family that she was going downhill quickly. The keeper called everyone and told them what the nurses had said. All of Gram’s family came to visit her on Monday or Tuesday to say goodbye. It was just one big twenty-four hour wave of sadness. 

It was late Tuesday afternoon when Ali finally made it to the assisted living facility. Ashlyn had spent so much time calling everybody else that she had almost forgotten to call her beautiful brunette and give her the somber update. Beth picked her up at the airport and they went right to see Gram.

“Where’s Ash?” she asked, unable to keep the disappointment from her voice.

“Sorry. She won’t leave Gram. You’re stuck with me” Beth said with a half-smile.

Gram’s room was full of people who loved her. When visiting hours officially ended at 9pm many of them kissed her goodbye for the last time and left. Mike, Tammye, Ashlyn, Chris, Aunt Marie and her kids David and Carlin stayed in the room with her while Beth and Ali took to the chairs in the visiting area just down the hall. They all spent some time with her, sitting next to her, holding her hand and talking softly to her. They let her know how much they loved her and how much she had meant to them. One by one they kissed her cheek or her forehead or her hand and said goodbye. And then, just before midnight, she was gone. 

The door from her room pushed open and Mike walked out, red-faced and confused. Beth and Ali both walked over to him and hugged him. He was stiff at first but then he clung to them as he fell apart, sobbing as they moved back to the small visiting area so they wouldn’t disturb the other patients in the nearby rooms. Chris came out next, looking for his wife and joining them in the visiting area. Aunt Marie, David and Carlin left next, tearfully waving as they walked down the hall towards the elevator. Tammye came out and met Ali’s eyes. She took her place with Mike and the brunette walked towards Gram’s room. She thought it had been hard to walk through that door earlier in the afternoon. But this time was so much worse. Ashlyn was sitting on the bed next to her grandmother, still holding her hand, with tears streaming down her face. Ali walked to her wife’s side and hugged her and kissed her head and told her how sorry she was. They stayed like that for a long time and then Ali tried to get the blonde to leave the room.

“But I don’t want to leave her alone” Ashlyn whispered, looking up at the brunette, her voice raw with emotion and tears.

“Oh honey” Ali soothed. “She’s not here anymore. She’s off someplace with Gramps already” the brunette worked a small smile onto her face. “Maybe she’s showing him that lake or they’re back at the café where they met.” She took a breath, happy to see that the keeper was taking in her words. “She’s happy and not in pain anymore Ash. And she’s with Gramps now.”

Ashlyn let go of Gram’s hand and stood up to hug her wife. They moved to the side of the room and stood there for a long time, watching and waiting for someone to come for the family matriarch. Finally, two men came in with a gurney and a black cadaver bag. They excused themselves when they saw the two women still in the room, but Ashlyn told them to get on with it. They were used to this at the assisted living facility’s hospice wing. The staff dealt with death every day so they had the pronouncement of death complete within minutes of Gram’s passing. The funeral home Gram had chosen had been called right away and were there to transport her body back to the crematorium, per her wishes. It wasn’t until they wheeled the gurney out of the room again, black bag zipped up tight, that Ashlyn agreed to leave too.

The wake was Thursday with visiting hours at the funeral home in the afternoon and then again in the evening. Everyone in the family knew that Gram was beloved by a lot of different groups of people. She was a popular member of the community and she was a dedicated volunteer to many organizations. But they were all stunned at just how many people came to the wake. It was incredible to see all of the people that Gram had touched during her lifetime. They had to extend the evening hours by an extra ninety minutes to get through everybody that wanted to pay their respects.

The funeral was Friday and was just as well attended. Ashlyn was incredibly moved to see Whitney and Niki and Sydney and Kyle there, and she was especially touched to see Deb Christopher and Ken Krieger too. Somehow both Chris and Ashlyn found the strength to speak at the funeral, delivering eulogies that were sweet and sad and filled with love. The burial was at the Methodist cemetery, right next to Gramps in the big ‘Harris’ plot there. Chris made sure they followed Gram’s wishes to the letter, right down to the butterfly etched into the corner of her flat headstone that Ashlyn had talked her into weeks earlier.

“What do I need that for Bash? Just a plain old headstone will be fine with me” she had protested.

“Because yours should be the prettiest one Gram, that’s why” Ashlyn had countered with a smile. “Gramps always said you were the prettiest girl he ever saw. He’d want you to have one of your pretty butterflies with you. You know he would.”

They both knew she was right.

And so they said goodbye to the woman who had anchored their family for their entire lives. They knew nothing would ever be the same again, just as they knew Gram would laugh at them for expecting it to be in the first place. Ashlyn knew there wouldn’t be a day that went by for the rest of her life where she didn’t miss hearing her Gram’s voice or feeling her hugs or seeing her smiling face. She was devastated and genuinely afraid for herself for the first time since high school. She felt rudderless and alone.

“Rest in peace Gram. I love you” she whispered as she looked down at the new headstone and the freshly shoveled dirt below it.

Linda Marie Harris  
Beloved Wife, Mother and Grandmother  
b 8-29-1933  
d 2-21-2018


	38. Pushing Forward

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That last chapter was originally where I was going to stop this part of the story. But I couldn't do it. It was too sad. So I chose to have Part 3 cover two years of their lives instead of just one. This chapter summarizes 2018 up until July, with small drop-ins here and there. Then it picks up again on a more day to day basis. There will be 44 or 45 chapters in Part 3 so we're wrapping things up. But Part 4 is already pushing itself to the front of my brain. Thank you for taking the ride with me. :)

It took almost four full months for Ashlyn to start feeling like herself again. She got good at faking it after only five or six weeks but those closest to her knew it was an illusion. She was heartbroken and nothing could really help except time. She didn’t completely fall apart though. She stayed in Satellite Beach for a week after the funeral to help Chris with Gram’s will. When she finally came home to the big old house at the beginning of March she only had two weeks left of her offseason. The keeper spent most of that being sad and depressed and moping around the house with the dogs. She made herself work out downstairs and started to get in shape for the upcoming season though. That was an incredibly beneficial distraction. She continued to see Mattie every other week instead of just going to her group sessions once a month and that helped a lot. The blonde had started seeing the therapist again when they learned about Gram’s diagnosis back in November. Ashlyn functioned as she normally did for those four months but at a lower level. If the volume dial on her life was normally set at an eight, it was running at about a four during those months. It gradually got louder and louder but it just took time. 

It was a peculiar time for the couple for many reasons. Gram’s death certainly overshadowed everything, for both women. Ali was patient with her grieving wife and Ashlyn was understanding of her time-strapped grad-student and businesswoman. The intense course work for her MBA coupled with the daily demands of overseeing Knight-Harris left Ali little time for much else. She made a point to be there for her keeper as much as possible though. They ate dinner together every night, until the blonde had to travel to away games with the Breakers. And when the team played at home Ali still went to every game and celebrated with the team afterwards. She gave Ashlyn the space she needed, and tried not to take it personally when the keeper lashed out at her every once in a while in her grief. 

“Are you kidding me?” the blonde complained loudly one day while she was making herself a sandwich for lunch. “This ham isn’t sliced right. It’s too fucking thick.” 

She took a step back from the counter and dropped her arms at her sides dramatically, shaking her head and clenching her jaw at the same time. Ali sat at the small kitchen table eating leftover pasta and watched her wife rant and rave.

“Did you ask for it to be sliced very thin?” she asked the brunette, exasperated at the situation, and all of a sudden very tired.

“I did honey, I’m sorry they didn’t do it right” she offered, trying not to add to the storm that was building in her own kitchen.

“Jesus fucking Christ, how hard is to slice ham?!” the keeper yelled at the meat as she angrily returned to the sandwich. 

It was little outbursts like those that peppered their daily lives for the first couple of months. She knew she was behaving badly and, every single time, she would go back to whomever had been around when she had lost her temper and apologize. Whitney and Ali were glad she seemed to be keeping those outbursts to the house and the two of them. Whitney believed that the keeper was trying really hard to stay cool at trainings and team events and that was part of the reason she was losing her temper at home in the first place. She was pissed off at the world because Gram was gone. It added a lot of pressure to her already messed up psyche to try and control her emotions while she did her job too. But there wasn’t a day that went by without sweet, kind Ashlyn making an appearance too. She was still in there. She was just stuck in a big maze of anger, grief and sadness. She had to find her own way out of it, no matter how much the people who loved her wanted to help.

It was a tense time, but, thankfully, the weeks passed quickly and the couple found ways to be together and grieve together and heal together. They both had burdens to bear that year and they did just that. The harder the challenge became, the more they just leaned their shoulder into it and kept their legs moving forward.

“It feels just like this” Ashlyn said softly one night as they climbed into bed. She stuck her right arm out and showed Ali her owl tattoo. “I thought I knew what this felt like before” she continued as her wife intertwined their fingers and ran her free hand gently across the beautiful tattoo. “But I had no idea.”

Ali leaned down and kissed her keeper’s inked forearm, letting her lips linger against her soft skin for several seconds.

“I can feel all that darkness around me Al” she started again, her voice hitching a little bit. “And it’s scary and I just want to feel warm again. I want to feel the sunlight again, you know?”

She looked at the brunette, her flat hazel eyes pleading for understanding and relief. Ali fought back her own tears as she looked at her struggling wife. She cupped her doleful face and stroked her cheek with her thumb.

“I’m so sorry sweetheart” she said soothingly. “I know you’re hurting and I wish I could make you feel better.” 

Tears started falling down Ashlyn’s cheeks and she took her glasses off and leaned her head into the brunette’s chest while Ali held her and rubbed her back.

“But you will feel the sunlight again Ash. You will, I promise. Just try and keep moving towards it and you’ll get there. It may take some time, but don’t give up honey. You’ll get through this. You’re so strong, even now when you might not feel like it, you are strong.”

They stayed like that for a while until Ashlyn sat up and wiped her tears away. She kissed Ali’s lips softly and looked down at her tattoo again.

“Thank you baby.” Ashlyn squeezed her wife’s hand. “I’m so grateful for you, every minute of every day. I know it doesn’t always seem like it, but I am.” She lifted her eyes and looked into warm cinnamon ones. “You keep moving around in here” she said and pointed at her tattoo again.

Ali tilted her head a little bit in confusion as she looked at the solitary figure walking down a dark path, surrounded by dark trees, with an umbrella over their head and a light at the far end of the path. 

“Sometimes you’re the umbrella” Ashlyn explained, her voice quiet and small. “Sometimes you’re standing at the end, waiting for me in the light and I swear I can see your beautiful smile.” She smiled shyly at the brunette for a few seconds. “Sometimes you’re right next to me, walking along with me. And sometimes, like tonight, you’re behind me, holding me up and helping me keep moving forward. But no matter where you are in here, I can always feel your love.” She looked up again and met Ali’s adoring gaze. “It’s what keeps me on the path. Thank you so much Ali.”

But it wasn’t all bad. There were many wonderful things to celebrate during the first half of the year too. Ryan had finally proposed to Whitney during their tropical vacation in January. They weren’t going to get married right away but were planning their big day for the end of 2019. Ryan was promoted again in the coaching staff for his lacrosse team in Western New York and Whitney was the unanimous choice for Breakers’ team captain again. They were hopeful that Ryan would get a coaching job with the Boston Cannons in the next year or two. That was their ultimate goal. Then they could find their own apartment or house and settle down. Whitney was hoping to play the next several years for the Breakers. She had just turned thirty at her last birthday in November so she knew the end of her playing days would be sooner rather than later, but not immediate. If they settled in Boston she could go to law school too. Watching the brunette get her studying on made Whitney realize how much she still wanted to get her law degree. 

Meg turned six years old in March, another year closer to being able to come visit the big old house on her own. Hannah continued to support Meg’s relationship with Ashlyn and, for once, all parties were happy about it. The keeper kept writing her a letter every week. Sometimes it was the hardest thing she had to do, but she refused to let Meg down. She was able to stay in DC an extra day, as usual, after the Breakers’ game in early June and visit her favorite little girl. Just feeling the love when Meg hugged her did wonders for Ashlyn’s battered heart.

Sydney and Dom slowly figured out how to be new parents and still function as human beings at the same time. Once the baby started sleeping through the night, in June, everything got easier and more fun for the new family and their close friends. Ali made time for her best friend every week. It wasn’t always on Wednesday nights anymore, they had to be flexible because of both of their schedules that year.

Chris and Beth were in the same boat with baby John, learning on the fly. They moved into Gram’s house, which she had left to Chris in her will, and the money they got from selling their own small house was enough to keep Beth’s florist shop afloat for a little while longer. Chris missed his grandmother just as much as his sister did, but he had a baby to take care of and provide for so he had to keep his shit together. He had dark days too and when he did, he went to an AA meeting and shared with the support group that had helped him so many times before. There was very little that could keep Chris’ spirits down when he came home and saw his son. That was the real difference.

Niki and Molly and Noah had a great year too. Niki’s high school team won their division title and the third year coach received an award for her leadership efforts. Molly got promoted at work and they made plans to add to their family in the next year or two. Ashlyn and Ali spent time babysitting both Cash and Noah at different times and it always lifted the blonde’s spirits. She found it impossible to stay sad when she was around cute babies or doggies. 

Ali’s friendship with Sarah grew, even though they didn’t work together anymore after the brunette gave up her sales job. The architect and her girlfriend, Erin, bought season tickets to the Breakers and hung out with everybody after most of the games. It took a while for the new vibe to settle in for everyone, but once all the nerves had calmed down it was obvious that Sarah and Ali were nothing more than friends. Ashlyn, perhaps because of her overall mood at the beginning of the season, hadn’t been as supportive as she wanted to be. She had always liked Sarah, but she had to admit to being a little uncomfortable with the friendship at first. Of course, she didn’t tell her wife. She wanted to really make sure how she felt before she said something that might put a stop to it. The keeper figured she owed Ali a little bit of time. It was the least she could do after all of the Hannah crap that the brunette had put up with. The two couples never did anything together, just the four of them, but they had fun together when they were out in a group. They weren’t at the double dating point yet, but they were headed down the right path. It took a few months but Ashlyn eventually came around and warmed to the idea of their friendship. 

Kyle and Nathan started dating without telling anybody, not even Ali, around Easter time. They had visited each other often and talked constantly since Christmas but the spark hadn’t officially started until mid-April. They went public with their relationship at Rob’s annual roofdeck 4th of July party. Ali was beside herself with joy and patted herself on the back for maybe having something to do with it but, more importantly, for not meddling in it and messing it up. The guys were doing the long-distance thing and burning up the Facetime and text minutes. 

Lifetime TV chose Ashlyn as one of the four NWSL ‘stars’ that they wanted to feature in all of their promotional material for the season. It was a big deal to have her face plastered everywhere, standing among Alex Morgan, Crystal Dunn and Tobin Heath. Ashlyn was the only non-USWNT player of the four and she was supposed to represent the rest of the league - the players who never made it to the big show but still played at a high level and excelled day in and day out. Lifetime TV did short documentary style features on each of the four players during the preseason to whet the fans’ appetites. Ashlyn wasn’t her usual life of the party self for obvious reasons and Ali worried that the cameras would do more harm than good for the blonde and her image. But in true keeper fashion, she was honest and forthright and when the camera caught her exchanging a hug and shedding some tears with Whitney after a bad training session, she told the truth. She admitted that she had just lost Gram and explained why she had meant so much to her. She encouraged everybody to talk more openly about their struggles and share their stories with each other. It was the most popular segment of the documentary series that aired. The only two that came close were the one when Alex Morgan and her husband got a new puppy and the one where Crystal Dunn tried to teach her teammates some new dance moves. Ashlyn’s candor and determination only endeared her to her fans more than ever, and earned her some new ones as well. And the executives at Lifetime TV noted how popular the keeper was with the fans. It was a nice paycheck for Ashlyn too. And it showed how marketable she could be without Hilary Knight as her side-kick. 

The garage had been successfully converted into official office space for Knight-Harris and Jared started using it at the beginning of April. Business was so busy that they hired a full-time receptionist / assistant, Marcy, to handle the phone and do the more basic daily tasks. She had been a classmate of Jared’s and he proved to be a never-ending source of bright, talented young professionals who were eager to join the team. And midway through the year they brought in another agent, Paige, to help Jennifer with all of their new clients. They didn’t have any huge superstars, but they had a whole bunch of athletes who all needed attention and assistance. And as expensive as it was, Knight-Harris had to pony up and offer health insurance and a full benefits package to their seven employees if they wanted to keep the excellent people they had on the team. It had always been part of the plan, but they hadn’t expected to need so many employees and benefits so soon. Ali continued to oversee everything but Jared was the real workhorse that year. It was thrilling for the brunette to feel like she had a real partner on the business side of things. She still made all the decisions but that was almost all she did that year for the company. She had to delegate everything else to Jared and Marcy when it came to the office things. 

The Breakers season started with a nice win for their home opener in April and picked up right where they had left off at the end of last season. Most of the players were back and the feeling of team and family was just as strong in 2018. Everybody knew Ashlyn was struggling at the beginning of the season and they did their best to pick her up and carry her along when she needed it most. The team dinners continued and the team chemistry thrived as a result. They were 7-2-3 with 24 total points at the end of June. Good enough for second place in the table.

Ashlyn and Ali finally went on a vacation in mid-May. They weren’t calling it their honeymoon. They were still planning on doing that in January for the full, glorious two weeks in Hawaii that they had been dreaming about. But the keeper had a week off in mid-May and Ali worked like a maniac before they left, and after they returned, to make up the time. That year the NWSL was taking breaks during the scheduled FIFA windows for international team appearances. The league was more popular than ever and there were more European players playing in it so they had to accommodate the international schedule. They had a week off in May, June, July and August. Of course the down side was that they crammed the extra game in on the Wednesday night after the week off, so there would be times when they played three games in ten days to make up for it. Ali and Ashlyn spent the week in Puerto Rico and had a wonderful time. Ashlyn still wasn’t all the way back to herself yet, but she was on her way. Ali hoped that the nice break would help her, but even if it didn’t she would still gladly take the week with her wife no matter how happy or sad she was. They spent an entire day, naked in their hotel room and, for the first time in a long time, they felt truly connected. They had both been there for each other all year, but there was always something between them that stopped them from getting that deep, visceral connection that they both craved. Either Ashlyn’s sadness or Ali’s schedule kept them just far enough apart so they felt it and longed for it. They vowed to do better the rest of the year. 

The refreshed couple toured the island and did some hiking and some shopping. They explored historic, old San Juan like the history appreciating gals they both were. And they spent time at the hotel spa and lounging by the pool and on the beach. Ashlyn played some golf with Ali and Ali went surfing with Ashlyn. The truth was, they both enjoyed golf and surfing, especially if they got to do it with their beautiful wife. Some people called Puerto Rico the ‘Hawaii of the East’ because the surfing was so good there. Ali had no idea about that when she planned the vacation but she would take that as the universe giving one back to her beleaguered wife that year. The keeper was just getting over a hyperextended elbow so she had to be careful, but she had the time of her life surfing the North Shore of the island. At the end of the week they spent another entire day naked in their room, recharging that battery that kept their relationship on track.

“So, I’ve been wanting to talk to you about something but I haven’t been able to find a good time” Ali paused, already wishing she hadn’t brought it up. It had been such a great week and she didn’t want to ruin it at the very end. “But I don’t want you to feel pressured...”

Ashlyn lifted her head and kissed her wife’s lips softly. They were sprawled out on the comforter with a bunch of pillows on the floor so they could see out the sliding glass door in their room overlooking the ocean. Ali smiled as they pulled apart.

“I love you” she breathed out as she gazed at her gorgeous keeper, seemingly forgetting what she had been talking about.

“Yes, I think we should start trying to get pregnant this year” the blonde said evenly, wanting to make sure her beautiful brunette knew she was serious. 

“Ash, how did you...?”

“I know I’m not great yet, but I’m starting to feel better. I really am” Ashlyn explained. “And do you know what makes me the happiest of all, even on the days where I feel like crap?” she asked with another kiss.

“Tell me” Ali replied softly, wanting to hear her strong, but almost broken, wife say the words out loud.

“I want to have a baby with you Al. More than anything else in the world, that’s what I want.” She paused and squeezed the brunette tightly for a minute. “I’ve been having a really hard time and the thing that keeps me going every single day is waking up next to you. I swore one time before we were even together that if I could just wake up next to you like that...that I wouldn’t need anything else. You’re all I need. You’re what’s getting me through this Al. God, I love you” she shook her head and kissed her wife again. “And starting a family with you would just make that even better. I know it will be hard but I know we can do it. We’re the best team in the world and we can definitely do it. Do you still want to?”

“Oh Ashlyn, of course I still want to. I want that more than anything else sweetheart. It would be my dream come true. Well, after you, that is.”

They talked more about when and how and who and all of those details. They agreed that they would use a sperm donor and try artificial insemination as soon as they got home and Ali got caught up on her course work. To make it easier, they just picked July for their start date. It was an exciting and surprisingly romantic way to bring their first, real vacation to a close. It also made it a little bit easier to leave their vacation island, knowing there was something so exciting to look forward to at home that summer.

But not everything had been good news in the first half of 2018. Mrs. Cummings died in April, just after the NWSL season started. It was a long time coming and the old woman had suffered for years with heart disease which just made everything harder. It was hard to breathe and hard to sleep and hard to move. Mrs. Riley told the couple the news and said in a very Puritan way that her mother was in a better place and not suffering any longer. Ashlyn and Ali attended the wake and the funeral and did everything they could to help Mrs. Riley and her family. They were stunned when the old woman showed up to clean their house the day before her mother’s funeral.

“Well I’m not dead yet” Mrs. Riley had remarked when they asked her what on earth she was doing cleaning their house that morning. “Until then I still have a job to do.”

Ashlyn hyperextended her left elbow in a game at the end of April and had to miss the next two games while it healed. The team was playing well and had just started to really gel on the pitch when it happened. It was a dark couple of weeks for the blonde as she watched her back-up play well in her place, in the only home game against Portland on their schedule. The Breakers had lost the game, but third-year keeper Abby Smith looked good and made some nice saves. Normally Ashlyn wouldn’t have let that rattle her but since she wasn’t quite herself yet that May, she let some doubt creep into her mind. It was Ken Krieger who talked with her about it after her first game back, in which she had not played well at all against Sky Blue FC. It was one of the few games that Ken could attend and he told his daughter as they watched the match that Ashlyn was pushing and trying to do too much. He called her on it quietly after the game, right on the side of the pitch before she could get to autograph alley. He had spoken to her, and coached her, as he had his own daughter her whole life – with honesty and no extra words. The keeper gained a whole new appreciation for the man and for so many of the qualities that he had passed on to Ali. And she took his advice and was back to her dominating self on the pitch the very next game.

Ali had an embarrassing trip to the emergency room that she feared she would never live down. It was June and she was coming off of a very busy week where she had exams and project presentations and lots of stress and odd hours. She and Ashlyn had gone to the movies on Sunday afternoon, after the keeper had returned from an away game, and the brunette had been uncomfortable the whole time they were in the theater. Her stomach was killing her and she couldn’t figure out why. She had dealt with more than her fair share of intense pain coming from her period cramps. The pain that day was just as bad as that, but it came from much higher up, just under her ribs, and right in the middle of her abdomen. She had never felt anything like it before. It didn’t feel like her ulcers had felt when she was younger either. She suffered through the entire movie and then another hour at home. The brunette finally agreed to go to the ER when the severe pain made her cry and her wife made her wonder if it was her appendix or something else equally scary in there. Four hours and an ultrasound later, with some nice IV drugs for the pain, the ER doctor came back with her diagnosis. It was all Ashlyn could do not to laugh out loud when she heard the doctor’s words. The official diagnosis on her discharge orders was ‘Constipation’. In Ali’s defense, the doctor did say that it seemed like one of the most painful cases she had ever seen. And it presented way up high in her upper intestine, which was pretty unusual. The change in her diet and sleeping habits that week, coupled with the extra stress from exams had probably caused the problem. Ali thought she was going to die of embarrassment as the doctor spoke to them in their ER room. She swore her wife to secrecy and the keeper agreed. But that didn’t stop her from teasing Ali about it when it was just the two of them. And, thankfully, the brunette was able to laugh about it as soon as they started their drive home. They stopped at a pharmacy and got something to get her system moving again and she was feeling fine again in a matter of hours.

The worst news, after Gram’s passing of course, was about Ashlyn’s father Mike. He struggled so much after his mother’s death that they were all worried he would start drinking again. He lost his job because he just stopped showing up for a couple of weeks. And there was nobody available to really keep an eye on him like they usually would have. Tammye was wrapped up in her own life, grieving, helping with baby John and spending more time with her friend Carol. And Chris was busy taking care of his new baby, moving into Gram’s house, and trying to keep Beth’s florist shop from going out of business. Mike reached out to his sponsor once but he had never really embraced that part of the program. He had always relied on talking with his own family. They knew his struggles better than anyone. But he didn’t actually fall off the wagon. Nobody could understand how he had managed it because he was a destructive, depressed mess. Ali was the one that figured it out but it hadn’t been easy. It took bits of information from different conversations with Deb, Chris, Ashlyn’s cousin and even Nathan to work out the puzzle. 

Kyle had been helping Mike when he needed an extra shoulder to lean on or an extra ear to bend. He called or texted the older man a few times every day to make sure he was doing ok. Kyle had promised Mike that he wouldn’t say anything to anyone and that it was his story to share if and when he wanted to. When Ali asked her brother about it during his 4th of July visit he was shocked and angry that she had figured it out. He just didn’t want to spook Mike. In the five months since Gram’s death, the two men had grown much closer and Mike had stayed sober. But there had been several close calls that had shaken both men to their cores. The elder Harris went to work for Beth in July, helping her out with the florist shop for very little money. She understood, just as well as any recovering addict, how dark those hard times could be. She gave him the job just to keep him busy and occupy some of the hours of his day for him. But it proved to be a good fit. He made all of the deliveries and helped keep the shop clean and tidy and open. Nobody was committing to anything long-term yet, but it seemed like a blessing in disguise.

//

The 4th of July had been the real turning point for Ashlyn that year. The vacation in May was the beginning of the tide turning, and by the time Ali’s favorite holiday rolled around, the blonde was back to her normal, fun-loving, sweet self. She definitely still had a moment every day where she broke down over the loss of her beloved grandmother, but gradually that moment only happened every other day, and then once a week and then once every few weeks. Soon she was back in control of her emotions and her life and she was eager to start living fully again. She owed at least that much to Gram.

July was the month that they had decided they wanted to start trying to get pregnant. Since returning from their vacation they had both learned more about their options. Before the end of June they had gone to Ali’s doctor, an Ob-Gyn, who referred them to a reproductive and fertility specialist. Ali passed her exam with flying colors and was declared in perfect health to get pregnant and carry a healthy baby to full term. The next step would be to select a sperm donor and they struggled with how best to accomplish that task. 

“I really want the baby to look like both of us.” Ali was lying in her wife’s lap, face up, as they snuggled on the couch one evening in July. “I want all of our kids to have your adorable dimple” she grinned up at her keeper and continued to play with her medium-length blonde hair as they watched tv. “And your long legs and your grandmother’s hands...” she paused, getting emotional about both of Ashlyn’s grandmothers. “And Gram’s eyes. God, how I would love that” the brunette said reverently.

They were both quiet for a couple of minutes, taking a break from their sperm donor conversation to deal with the emotions that had just cropped up for both of them. After the storm had settled they continued to talk.

“Well there is a way to do that you know, maybe not the eyes because I’m the only one that got Gram’s, but...”

“I know, ugh, but it just seems icky” Ali replied, referring to the idea of using Chris’ sperm that they had talked about before. “And then there’s the whole addiction thing” she shook her head against the blonde’s lap. “I really want your dimple but I just can’t do that. I don’t think.”

And that was the problem. They both wanted to be able to use both of their DNA to make the baby. The only way to do that was to use Chris’ sperm and they both thought that wasn’t the best idea. It grossed them both out a little bit and they had debated for hours about the likelihood of passing on genes that would lead their child to addiction when he or she got older. Was it environmental or biological? They had practically ruled Chris out as an option but Ali always kept that tiny glimmer of possibility alive by never officially giving it a firm no.

“Hon, you have to stop doing that or we’re not going to get anywhere with this decision” Ashlyn whined. “Come on.”

“You’re right, you’re right. I’m sorry” Ali agreed and squeezed her wife’s arm across her chest. “I am officially saying that we are not going to use our brothers to get either of us pregnant.”

Whitney walked into the room with a basket full of laundry right at that moment and her eyes went wide. She stopped right inside the door near the front stairs when she heard Ali’s words.

“Umm, I’m sorry guys...I didn’t know you were having such a...personal conversation...”

Ashlyn interrupted her with a big laugh that made her wife’s head bob up and down on her lap. Ali sat up and chuckled.

“Well I bet you never thought you’d hear that sentence huh Whit?” the brunette grinned as the keeper continued to laugh.

“You should see your face!” Ashlyn laughed louder, pointing at her best friend.

Whitney rolled her eyes but couldn’t keep the smile off of her face as she began walking towards the washing machine again. It was times like that when she wondered if the couple really was ok having her live there with them. They had both told the defender in no uncertain terms that they loved having her and that she was welcome to live with them as long as she wanted to. And they meant it sincerely. The house was plenty big so they weren’t tripping over each other. There was always someplace to go when any of them wanted or needed privacy. It was really sort of perfect. It reminded Ali of when she and Sydney were young and they made plans to live together for the rest of their lives, with their husbands and families. When Deb had pointed out that things would get pretty crowded like that, they had just decided that they would have to get two houses that were right next to each other. Problem solved. Living with Whitney felt like that and they all loved it. The happy couple genuinely missed her during the offseason when she wasn’t around. The defender hoped, somehow, that she would know when the right time was for her to move out. 

“I’m still trying to decide if I’m happy about or disturbed by what I just heard” she teased back over her shoulder.

When she joined them a few minutes later they were looking through the options for donors, other than Chris and Kyle. Ashlyn wanted someone smart and healthy. Ali thought those were givens and was focusing more on looking for someone artistic and musical.

“Ali’s on the right track” Whitney offered as they showed her some of their preliminary selections and asked for her opinion. “My cousin went through this a couple of years ago, her husband...I don’t know, his swimmers didn’t swim very well so they had to use a sperm donor” she shook her head lightly to shake out the thoughts of her cousin’s sex life. “She told me that once they focused on finding a donor that had the two or three things in her husband that they were really looking for it was a lot easier.”

They shifted their focus to finding someone tall, athletic, and artistic. If they could find more than one of those then they would try to find someone with gorgeous cheekbones, hazel eyes and a dimple in his left cheek. Whitney, as always, was right. Once they had streamlined their criteria they made much better progress. 

“Thanks Whit” Ashlyn smiled warmly at her best friend. “I don’t know what we’d do without you.”

They spent the better part of the month of July trying to pick out the right donor. Ali had found a couple of them that worked for her but Ashlyn took a look at their profiles and squashed them both. They just weren’t right. She couldn’t really explain it other than to say that her gut told her that neither of those guys was the father of their children. The brunette got frustrated but kept looking. She wanted to do everything in her power to make sure the keeper felt like a part of the pregnancy too. She tried to put herself in her wife’s shoes and imagine how strange it might feel to not be contributing to the baby biologically. Ashlyn could be sensitive and Ali wanted to be equally sensitive as they worked towards this life-changing decision together. Finally, the week of Ali’s birthday at the end of July, they found one they both liked. 

“You’re not just saying that because it’s my birthday and you’re trying to be nice or something, right?” she challenged the blonde, wanting to be very sure.

“No, I swear honey, this is the one” Ashlyn said confidently. “I can feel it.” 

“Ok. Then welcome to the family, donor #83627” Ali said with excitement in her voice. “I hope you’ve got great swimmers.”

They hugged for a long few minutes and kissed each other tenderly as they got one step closer to making their dream come true. 

“I’m so relieved we finally found him” Ashlyn admitted as they got ready to take the dogs out for their nightly walk. “I’m so sick of talking about guys and their fucking sperm.” She made a face and shivered. “I’ve spent my whole life avoiding all of that junk and now here I am becoming an expert in how to use it. Yuck.”


	39. Just Keep Swimming

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut warning.

Because Ali was a good candidate for artificial insemination and she didn’t have any fertility issues that they were aware of, they had all of the options available to them for the actual method of insemination. The least medical way was the IVI method, intravaginal insemination. The sperm was inserted into the vagina and left to its’ own devices to make it up through the cervix, into the uterus and up to the egg waiting in the fallopian tube. It was as basic as you could get and as close to the real fertilization experience as possible. This could even be done at home if the couple wanted. The old turkey baster method. IVI was also the least expensive way to get pregnant. They weren’t making their decision based on that, but it was nice to know they didn’t have to jump right up to the very expensive method right off the bat. They could try IVI a few times and see if it worked.

And that was what they chose to do. Both Ali and Ashlyn had read up about conception and there was lots of evidence that having an orgasm was a tremendous help. There were complicated scientific reasons about engorged tissue and increased blood flow, and there were more common sense reasons about being relaxed and enjoying some endorphins while the sperm started their long journey to the egg. Ali had already started to track her ovulation schedule. She had started as soon as they came home from Hawaii, eager to be in control of at least one part of the process – her own body. Her period had always been a little irregular so she couldn’t just say when fourteen days before her next period would be. She decided to try and listen to the signs her body was giving her that it was about to ovulate. That meant starting every morning with taking her temperature with the special BBT, basal body thermometer, and writing it down on her ovulation chart along with the type of mucus she felt on her cervix that morning. Her research told her that taking her temperature vaginally or rectally was much more accurate than taking it orally. So vaginally it was. The key was to take the temperature at the same time every day and keep everything consistent. Take it at the same time, in the same place inside your vagina, using the same thermometer, etc. And it had to be the very first thing you did when you woke up, before talking, stretching, moving or sitting up. It was a measurement of your body temperature at rest. She started the day after her period ended at the end of May. Then she continued after her period ended at the end of June. She was hoping that the two months of data would be enough so they could try to get pregnant in July. 

It took Ashlyn two days to realize something was going on in the mornings. 

“What are you doing down there?” she asked sleepily as she rolled over and put her hand on Ali’s warm thigh.

“Just a sec babe” the brunette tried to concentrate on keeping the thermometer steady inside her body until it beeped.

The keeper was intrigued and lifted the covers up to see exactly what was going on. She raised her eyebrows and followed her wife’s hand as it brought the thermometer up to her eyes. Ali put her glasses on and wrote the number down on a chart as the blonde grinned at her.

“Look at you with our first ovulation chart.” Ashlyn smiled and kissed her wife on the cheek as she snuggled up to her. “I’m assuming that was in my favorite place” she nodded at the thermometer in the brunette’s hand, “and not in your least favorite place.”

“Ugh, stop” Ali rolled her eyes and smiled shyly. “Yes, doing it orally isn’t...”

“As accurate” Ashlyn finished her sentence. “I know. I read about it.” She gently kissed Ali’s lips. “Are you charting your cervix too?”

“Mmm hmm. I just started and I don’t really know what I’m doing yet but I’m hoping it’ll make sense if I keep doing it.”

“Do you need any help?” the keeper asked with a smirk.

“Don’t” Ali whined. “I need a normal, unaroused, sample from my cervix.” She emphasized the word ‘unaroused’. “Stay away from me” she chuckled and playfully pushed her wife away.

“Fine” Ashlyn sat up and looked at the chart as the brunette reached between her own legs and felt around inside her vagina for her cervix. “So our choices are, Period, Dry, Sticky, or Egg White. What have we got?” 

“Dry, which makes sense because I just finished my period the other day.”

“Dry it is then.”

Ashlyn marked the ‘D’ on the chart next to the one from the day before, leaned over her wife’s prone body and put the pen and chart on her nightstand. The brunette stretched for the first time that morning, extending her legs down and her arms up as a small yawn and squeak escaped her throat. She ran her hand along her wife’s side, still above her, and leaned up to kiss her shoulder. The keeper hummed when she felt Ali’s lips and kissed her back. She started to move back into her position next to the brunette but Ali pulled her on top of her with a sly grin. They kissed again as she moved her hands all over the blonde’s back and slid them inside her sleep shorts to grab her bare ass.

“Do you still want to help me with something?” she mumbled against Ashlyn’s soft lips and smirked.

//

But they didn’t get pregnant in July. Ali was sure they were at least very close to her ovulating time but maybe they had been farther off than she thought. It was disappointing because they were so excited to get pregnant. But they both talked about how they had to keep their expectations low, especially for their first try. 

The second time they tried they were a little bit more relaxed because they knew what to expect. They didn’t fumble with the sperm canister or the syringe and they were just calmer, in general, about the whole thing. There were all sorts of tips and tricks they had read about to increase their chances of getting pregnant using the IVI method and injecting the donor sperm into Ali’s vagina. There was a big debate about the best time to inject the sperm. Some said right before your orgasm and others said right after your orgasm. 

“I think it makes sense to do everything the way it normally would happen with straight sex” Ashlyn explained one night while they were getting ready for bed. “I mean, you know, it’s worked for thousands of years.”

“So when would you inject then?” the brunette questioned as she finished flossing her teeth and sat on the toilet to pee.

“Hey, I’m the gold star lesbian, remember?” she quipped. “I don’t know what a real dick does in there.” She grinned and dried her hands off before leaving the bathroom.

“You’ve read just as many things as I have about IVI, don’t be ridiculous” Ali countered with a chuckle. “When do you think we should inject?”

“Honestly, I don’t think it matters. I’m sure it’s different all the time. Some women come after the guy. Some come before...”

“Some don’t come at all when they’re with a guy” Ali teased as she followed her wife to their bed.

“Spoken like a woman who knows what she’s talking about” Ashlyn chuckled. “But really, it won’t matter. So let’s just decide when you want me to inject and that’s when we’ll do it. Easy.”

“Oh I hope it works this time” the brunette’s eyes were big with excitement as she got into bed and turned towards the keeper. “How cool would it be if I was ovulating on our anniversary this weekend? That would be just too perfect. It would never work, would it?” she giggled as she tried to calm herself down so they could go to sleep.

“I hope you’re not ovulating on our anniversary because I’ll be in Seattle, remember? We fly out Saturday the 25th for our game Sunday night.”

“That’s ok, I think it’ll be before then. I’m betting Thursday the 23rd. If I’m reading the chart right.” She sighed and looked down in her lap.

“What’s the matter princess?” Ashlyn asked softly, pulling her girl closer so they could snuggle before going to sleep. 

“I just want this so bad Ash. I don’t think I’ve ever wanted anything more in my whole life” she said quietly as she hugged the blonde’s side. “Well, besides you.”

The brunette was wrong about the date. She didn’t start ovulating until the following week. They were ready though, because of Ali’s cervix. Monday morning when she checked, it was softer than usual and up higher so she could barely reach it. That morning, Tuesday, was the same and they had reached Egg-white on the mucus chart. Her temperature was still low, meaning she hadn’t actually started ovulating yet. But it could be any time during the next twenty-four hours. When she took her temperature and it was higher then that meant she had officially started ovulating. The best time to do the insemination was a day or two before ovulation so the time was now! The signs were all there. Ashlyn would pick up the sperm on her way home from training that afternoon and then they would get busy and try to make a baby.

Ali thought she was going to go crazy waiting all Tuesday for her keeper to come home. It was one of the longest days of her life. She couldn’t focus on anything or get anything accomplished, either course work or house work or Knight-Harris work. She knew that she would ovulate for at least twelve hours and for up to forty-eight hours. She tried to calm her nerves. Finally, an idea popped into her head and she grabbed her keys and went out the mudroom door.

“Honey, we’re home!” Ashlyn called as she and Whitney stood in the mudroom late Tuesday afternoon. 

She put the sperm canister on the desk, dropped her bag on the floor and greeted the dogs as they came careening around the corner from the kitchen. 

“I’m going to grab a quick shower and then I’ll take them for a walk” Whitney said as she patted the dogs and then went up the front stairs.

“Thanks Whit” Ashlyn replied with a blush. “I appreciate it.”

The defender knew what was going on and had no choice but to understand exactly what was about to happen because they had stopped at the fertility clinic for the canister on their way home. 

“Hi honey” Ali said sweetly as she hugged her wife hello and pressed a kiss to her lips. “I’m so glad you’re home.”

“Me too” the keeper replied with s shy and excited smile on her face. 

They took a minute and gazed into each other’s eyes. Ashlyn saw love, excitement, impatience and even the beginnings of desire in the beautiful chocolate eyes across from her. Ali saw almost the same thing in her favorite tawny hazel eyes, but with a heavy dose of adoration added. They kissed deeply for a couple of minutes and held each other close.

“I’m going to take a shower...”

“Ok, everything’s ready” Ali said as she picked up the canister. “I’ll bring this up and be waiting for you.”

When Ashlyn stepped out of the shower her wife was waiting for her. Ali stood there, in new lingerie, with a towel ready to dry her keeper off.

“Well hello” Ashlyn said seductively when she saw the brunette and her sexy, black, merry widow bustier and garter set, complete with thigh high stockings and heels. “You look amazing.”

The keeper was excited about what they were going to do and had been concentrating on the mechanics and timing of the syringe while she showered. But as soon as she saw her wife in that smoking hot outfit all thoughts of sperm had disappeared. All she could think of was how unbelievably gorgeous Ali looked and how badly she needed to taste her.

“Do you like it?” she asked coyly as she handed Ashlyn the towel and then posed, one hand on her hip and the other playing with the strings at the front of her bustier.

“I love it. Fuck that’s hot” the blonde enthused, eyes already darkening as she hurriedly dried herself off.

Ali moved slowly into the bedroom, loving the feel of her wife’s eyes on her as she went. She knew exactly where Ashlyn’s eyes were too. For one of the few times ever, the brunette wore a g-string that left the entirety of her ass completed exposed. There was a lot to look at with that outfit from the tight, fitted bustier that did incredible things to her cleavage and breasts to the lacy garter with its’ straps attached to the thigh-high stockings. She started to feel a little silly but fought off the self-doubt and continued her strut towards the fireplace on the other side of the bed. She kept her hips moving in slow figure eights as she moved her hands all around her body, turning from back to front in an even slower circle. It was one huge, tantalizing turn-on for Ashlyn. The keeper walked out of the bathroom like a zombie, her only imperative was to get to the sultry brunette. Nothing else even registered. It wasn’t until she practically tripped over their good old friend the camping mattress on the floor in front of the fireplace that she saw the rest of the room.

It looked like it had the night they first had sex, or as close to it as Ali could get it. She hadn’t lit the fire because it was hotter than hell outside and she knew they were going to heat up the bedroom some more too. There was a vase of blue hyacinth flowers on the floor at the head of the mattress. They represented fertility and constancy of love. There were bouquets of white roses on the dressing table and red roses on the dresser. One of their favorite sexy playlists filled the room and set the mood. She had even remembered the rose petals around the mattress from that first night together. 

Ali picked up the glass of whiskey from the shallow mantle and held it out for the keeper as she finally closed the distance between them. The brunette picked up her glass of wine and clinked it with the glass of whiskey.

“Cheers to us” she purred and took a sip.

“Cheers is right” Ashlyn replied thickly, already sounding drunk with desire. “I can’t believe you did all of this for us. You’re unbelievable. I love you so much.”

“For you Ash, I did this for you” Ali wrapped her arm around her beautiful, naked wife’s waist and pulled her close. She straddled Ashlyn’s strong thigh and started lightly grinding against it. “If we can do this, when we do this” she corrected herself, “it’s both of us. It’s just as much about you as it is about me. I don’t want either of us to forget that.”

“I will never forget this as long as I live” the blonde breathed out and swallowed hard.

Ali chuckled, low and throaty because she was already horny as hell. “And if we can do this, then I won’t be able to wear much lingerie for a while and I want you to remember how much you love it.”

Ashlyn whimpered a little bit and brought their lips together in a passionate kiss. She was completely torn between the desire to treat her wife with utter tenderness and the urge to absolutely devour every inch of her tantalizing flesh. While she was showering she had thought about how romantic it would be to take her time and worship Ali’s body and treat her like the princess she was. They were trying to make a baby and the intimacy and beauty of that weighed heavily on the blonde’s mind. Until she stepped out of the shower and saw her beautiful brunette in her new lingerie. It had been two and a half incredible years of having sex with Ali Krieger. And the keeper felt the same, almost paralyzing, excitement as she had felt the very first time she had seen her wife naked and ready for her. The same overwhelming emotions flooded her mind and body and left her virtually helpless in the brunette’s presence. Ashlyn had gotten better at working past it and not letting it actually stop her from touching her gorgeous wife in the heat of the moment. But there were still times when she would just stop everything and sit up for a minute, just to breathe and gaze down at Ali, usually panting or writhing beneath her. The brunette had learned to appreciate those moments, as frustrating as they could sometimes be, because those were the moments when she felt like she could see right into her keeper’s soul. It was the most amazing feeling she had ever felt and she knew there was nothing in the world that could make her feel more beloved. 

And the brunette experienced the same thing herself sometimes, while making love to her wife. Both women were relieved and thrilled that they could still be moved by their wife in that way. It frightened them to imagine a time, many years in the future, when they wouldn’t respond like that, although neither of them thought it would happen to them. They just couldn’t see how it could be possible. Their brains told them it was a possibility, but everything else, their hearts and hands and tongues and souls and lungs and eyes said it was simply not going to happen. And so Ashlyn stood there, whiskey drink in one hand, Ali’s lingerie-clad hip in the other, fighting her primal instinct and trying to maintain some semblance of control.

“I love you so much Al” she said as the kiss ended. She blinked at her wife and her voice was quiet and emotional. 

Ali tilted her head a little bit and kissed her keeper lightly on the lips, gently cupping her face with one hand.

“I love you too honey. More than I can even understand sometimes.” She locked eyes with Ashlyn. “No matter what happens, nothing will ever change that.”

“I...you...” the blonde started and stopped. “You’re such a part of me. You’re inside me every minute of the day and I...I can’t breathe without you. I don’t want to breathe without you.”

The keeper’s eyes were full with tears that threatened to fall and her face contorted as she fought all the emotions bombarding her. Ali pulled her into a hug and they held each other, wine and whiskey still in their hands, for a long few minutes.

“Are you ok sweetheart?” Ali asked as they leaned back to look at each other.

“Yeah, I’m sorry I ruined the mood, I just...I’m sorry.”

“Please don’t apologize for loving me so much you had to stop and tell me about it.” Ali kissed her lips softly. “That’s the kind of love they write poetry about. That’s the kind of love most people don’t even realize can be real. I know I never thought it could be.”

“Me either” Ashlyn smiled shyly and returned the kiss.

“It’s the kind of love I want surrounding our baby when she first comes into existence” the brunette added, wiping a tear from her own eye. 

They held each other for a few more minutes letting their emotions settle back down. They finished their drinks as they placed gentle kisses to each other’s necks, jaws, lips and ears. Ali finally took their empty glasses and turned to put them on the mantle behind her. The slight separation allowed Ashlyn to get another view of her sexy outfit, or lack thereof when it came to the g-string and the brunette’s exposed ass, and she felt an intense pressure deep inside her core. The keeper moaned without even knowing it and pressed herself up against Ali’s back, wrapping one arm around her waist and holding her tight while the other one found one of her breasts.

“Mmmmmm” Ali hummed and closed her eyes when she felt the blonde’s warmth all around her.

Ashlyn teased her nipples, still trapped beneath the alluring bustier. She pressed her hips hard against Ali’s ass, moving her wife forward almost into the fireplace until she planted her feet and pushed back against the blonde. The keeper moved her other hand all over the brunette’s crotch and hips and mound. She could feel the heat coming from between her legs and wanted to slip her fingers inside the sexy g-string. But she was patient. She felt Ali grind against her hand and moaned again, loudly this time. 

“God you’re unbelievable” Ashlyn mumbled, her lips against the soft, exposed skin of her wife’s shoulder.

Ali kept one hand on the mantle, bracing herself against the pressure from her strong wife. She moved her other hand back and grabbed the keeper’s ass, roughly, and started squeezing it hard. 

“Oooh, yeah baby. Mmmmmmm” Ashlyn murmured into the brunette’s ear and then tugged on her earlobe with her teeth.

“Fuck, Ash...”

Ali felt her passion pooling between her own legs and the lust starting to make her dizzy. She was pushing back pretty hard against Ashlyn with her ass. She took advantage and let up for a second, feeling the keeper pull back away from her ass for just a few seconds to allow her time to get her footing again. Ashlyn, even when she was turned on like this, was always so responsive to what her body did. Ali knew she would give her a chance to change her position or her stance. And when the blonde pulled back for those few seconds Ali moved her hand from her wife’s ass to in between their bodies. She put the back of her hand against her own ass and the palm of her hand right on Ashlyn’s mound. The brunette spread her fingers out and groaned when she felt how wet her wife was.

“Jesus, you’re wet...mmmmmm...”

“So sneaky” the keeper teased as she kept working both of her hands all over the front of her wife’s body. Ali was breathing heavy and responding to the pinches and squeezes with soft gasps and mewls. “So fucking hot” Ashlyn moaned and then bit down hard on the brunette’s shoulder.

“Oh! Yessssss...” Ali hissed and pushed her middle finger inside the blonde’s entrance.

“Yeah baby. Fuck that feels good” Ashlyn husked out, breathing heavy in the brunette’s ear.

The heel of Ali’s palm was up against her wife’s clit and she moved her middle finger around inside her hot core as much as she could but she knew this wasn’t going to be enough to get Ashlyn off. And as good as the keeper’s lips felt on her neck and ear and shoulder, Ali wanted more contact. She wanted both her hands and her lips all over the sultry blonde. She wanted to make Ashlyn come while wearing the merry widow outfit so that meant it needed to happen first. Her mind made up, the brunette pushed back hard with her ass and then turned around in her wife’s arms so they were facing each other again. The keeper whimpered a little at the loss of skin but was quickly satisfied when she got a look at Ali’s stunning cleavage bouncing around on top of the bustier.

“God damn” she breathed out and buried her face in it, licking and sucking and biting the top of the brunette’s breasts while her hands went back to Ali’s bare ass cheeks. 

Ali’s hands went right to her keeper’s breasts with squeezes and pinches. She cupped them both and pinched the nipples between the thumb and forefinger of each hand as she squeezed and kneaded the beautiful breasts. As soon as Ashlyn lifted her head up from her wife’s cleavage, Ali pounced on her breasts with her hot mouth. She sucked on one with her mouth while her hand kept working on the other. She groaned loudly when she switched breasts and tasted Ashlyn’s passion there, forgetting that she had already had her finger inside her in their previous position.

“Unnhhh...fuck” Ali groaned and felt another gush between her own legs.

Ashlyn was getting impatient. She led them down to the mattress on the floor in front of the fireplace. They knelt and made out for a long time, hands roaming, grabbing and scratching everywhere as they did so. The keeper pushed Ali back and then guided her down onto the mattress, appreciating the lingerie again from this different angle.

“I really love this” she panted out between kisses “but I want to get at what’s underneath it too.” 

“No, don’t take it off yet” Ali pulled her lips away and opened her eyes. “Not until I make you come first” she explained through swollen lips and hazy, lidded eyes.

Ashlyn, for once, didn’t argue about needing to take Ali over the edge first. She knew this was the right way to go. She knew that her brunette got insanely turned on, just like she did, by getting her wife off. And even though they weren’t talking about the baby anymore, the keeper knew it was in the back of both their minds.

“As you wish” she smirked and brought their lips together in another deep, passionate kiss.

Ali barely had time to appreciate the ‘Princess Bride’ reference that they often joked about together. Ashlyn had never seen the movie but the title had caught her eye in her wife’s Blu-Ray collection. A regular dose of ‘as you wish’ replies had become part of their everyday banter from that moment on, mostly from the blonde. Ashlyn dragged her lips down the brunette’s neck and over her cleavage again. She ran her hands up and down Ali’s body as she continued to kiss her way lower and lower. She licked the skin she could see between the laces at the front of the bustier and nipped at the sexy silk garment with her teeth. Ali had both hands tangled in blonde locks as she writhed under her keeper’s teasing touch.

“Mmmmm, shit” she hummed and whimpered as Ashlyn continued her travel southward.

By the time she got to the g-string the keeper was a hot, throbbing mess. She could smell Ali’s passion as she pressed kisses across her satin-covered mound. She felt the brunette start to pull her back up but before she complied she moved the g-string aside with her fingers and ran her tongue slowly up through Ali’s folds, moaning loudly and closing her eyes in sheer ecstasy.

“Jesus Christ you taste good” she said with a shudder as she let the brunette pull her back up.

They kissed again, Ali trying not to lose it when she tasted herself on Ashlyn’s tongue. Finally the brunette flipped them over and straddled her keeper, bringing her knees up beside her hips and pressing her wet center down on top of the blonde’s mound. Ashlyn wished her phone was nearby and actually looked up towards Ali’s nightstand to see if hers was there. The sight of her wife in that bustier grinding against her with those stockings and garters...it was almost too much for the blonde.

“You wanna take my picture babe?” Ali purred out as she moved her hands up her own tight stomach and underneath her breasts. She loved teasing her wife sometimes. “Is that what you’re thinking about doing right now?”

The question wasn’t accusatory and if the keeper was worried about it all she had to do was look at the lust-filled face and devilish smirk of her wife to know that she wasn’t in any kind of trouble.

“Just one” she panted out. “Real quick.” She ran her hands up and down Ali’s thighs as she spoke. “You look fucking amazing.”

Ali reached up to her nightstand and handed her phone to the blonde below her. The keeper always made her feel beautiful and sexy. Every single day she complimented her for one thing or another, usually several things. The brunette loved the praise. Who wouldn’t? She was just incredibly lucky to have someone who was so appreciative and vocal about it. Ali would never take it for granted.

“Make it quick” she ordered seductively and bit her bottom lip as Ashlyn fumbled with the camera.

The brunette struck a couple of risqué poses for her wife and then put the phone back on the nightstand. She was incredibly turned on and starting to worry about needing to come before she got her keeper off. But then she saw the flush already up Ashlyn’s chest and neck and the deep, dark, desire filling her eyes and knew the blonde was already close.

“Are you ready, sexy?” Ali’s words dripped with desire and hunger as she started to grind against her gorgeous keeper again.

“I really want to taste you again” Ashlyn purred and slowly tapped her own chin. “Why don’t you come up here and do that” she proposed with a smirk.

“You wait your turn.”

Ashlyn tilted her hips up as her wife pressed down against her. Ali’s hands went back to the keeper’s breasts, which, in turn, gave the blonde an amazing view of her cleavage again. She was trying to stay in Ashlyn’s line of sight so she could enjoy the lingerie. That was the whole point of this. What she really wanted to do was dive head first into Ashlyn’s pussy and suck it dry but then her outfit wouldn’t be visible. She could always get to that later, after she was done with the lingerie. The keeper groaned and dropped her head back against the pillow as the pleasurable sensations took over from her breasts and spread down throughout the rest of her horny body.

“Your hands...so good...”

Ali couldn’t wait any longer. She moved so that she lay on her left side, right up next to her wife, and took one of her nipples in her hungry mouth. She pulled Ashlyn’s right leg up, bent at the knee, and then pulled it out of the way, over into her own body. The blonde followed suit with her left leg, opening herself up wide for Ali’s fingers. The brunette trailed her right hand down her keeper’s body, ghosting touches in some spots and pausing to trace part of her beautiful tattoos along the way. She scratched at her short hairs and then teased the blonde by gliding her fingers all around the perimeter of her pussy. She moved her mouth to the other breast with a low moan as she felt just how much passion was between her wife’s legs.

“Fuck babe, mmmmm, you’re so wet for me” Ali panted out and then kissed the keeper’s lips hard. “I fucking love that.”

“Al, you’re killing me. Please...” she begged as she reached around Ali’s back to try and reach for her ass. “I need to come.”

The brunette planted another hard kiss on her lips and moaned into it as her tongue swirled around inside her wife’s mouth. She moved her fingers more towards the interior of Ashlyn’s pussy and stroked her drenched lips, still with only gentle pressure. The blonde bucked her hips up and groaned again, excited for the contact, even though it was still limited. Ali took pity on the love of her life and decided not to tease her anymore. She brought her fingers up to Ashlyn’s throbbing clit and traced circles around it, gradually tightening it until she was rubbing the sensitive nub directly.

“Yesssss!”

“You’re so beautiful babe. A fucking goddess” the brunette breathed out against her wife’s chin as she dragged her lips back down towards her nipples again.

Ashlyn’s body was tense and ready to spring. She tugged at her own nipple with the hand that wasn’t behind the brunette’s back, moaning and bucking her hips even more. Ali pulled her hand back down and circled her wet pussy lips a couple of times, just to spread them out, and then pushed two fingers into the keeper’s needy core. She started thrusting right away.

“Fuck yeah. Oh, God. Unnnhhhh.” Ashlyn grunted and moved her left hand from her breast down to her own clit and started rubbing it herself. “Oh, don’t stop. Unnnhhh...”

Ali had no intention of stopping. She increased her speed and felt another wave of passion pool between her own legs as she listened to the sexy sounds her wife was making.

“Jesus Ash” she panted out as she took in the sight and sound of her gorgeous wife in her arms.

Ashlyn had her head pushed back into the pillow and her eyes closed. Her back was arched, nipples stiff and ready for Ali’s mouth again. She was rocking her hips up into the brunette’s hand, trying to keep with her rhythm but not always succeeding. The blonde was too far gone to be able to keep the pace for more than a few seconds. She groaned when she felt Ali’s mouth on her breast again. Her hot tongue flicking across her pebbled nipple and her teeth nipping at her soft flesh.

“Fuck!” she yelled as she felt her orgasm starting to take shape.

Ali thrusted faster and harder with her hand while she sucked and flicked Ashlyn’s nipples. She could feel the keeper’s strong fingers digging into her back as she held on tight.

“Aliiiiiii!!!” she yelled as she came hard. She took her left hand from her clit and moved it to the back of her wife’s head, holding it tightly against her breast as she shook and twitched through her orgasm. “Oh, fuck...” she exhaled as she enjoyed her release and the amazing tingling feeling that spread throughout her entire body. She released Ali’s head and stroked her hair gently as she came down from her high. Her chest heaved and her legs quivered as the brunette pulled her fingers out and cupped her core for a minute. “Wow.”

Ali chuckled and kissed the blonde’s lips as she tried to steady her breathing. She climbed back on top of her keeper, dragging her bustier across Ashlyn’s sensitive nipples and making her suck in a breath. 

“Are you trying to kill me?” she joked and quirked an eyebrow at the brunette.

Ali sat up slowly, left hand still playing with her wife’s breasts, and brought her right hand up to her lips. She was straddling her keeper again as she licked her juices off of her fingers while Ashlyn’s beautiful hazel eyes bored into her own. The brunette was so turned on that she was sure she could come with a single touch.

“I love fucking you” she said to Ashlyn, her voice low and hungry as she finished licking her fingers. “There’s nothing I love more” she bit her bottom lip and slowly started to untie the laces that held the front of her bustier together. 

Ali slid down and over so that she was straddling Ashlyn’s right thigh. She needed to grind and she knew her wife’s mound was still too sensitive. The keeper moaned out loud when she felt Ali’s wetness against her bare thigh.

“Oh my God” Ashlyn moaned. “You are trying to kill me. Shit baby.”

The blonde propped herself up a bit with the pillows and reached her long arms out to finish untying the laces while Ali moved her hand to her own clit and started to rub it slowly. Her head lolled back and she hummed in pleasure. Ashlyn swallowed hard and pushed the bustier back off of the brunette, exposing her small but beautiful breasts. Her nipples were already standing at attention and the blonde licked her lips in anticipation.

“Hey now, let’s not get ahead of ourselves” the keeper warned her wife and pulled her hand away from her clit. “I waited my turn” Ashlyn husked out, unable to keep the want out of her voice.

Ali kept slowly grinding against her keeper’s thigh as she brought her attention back to the blonde below her. The cool air against her now bare skin felt wonderful and she had the goosebumps to prove it. Ashlyn ran her hands up and down the brunette’s strong thighs, enjoying the feeling of the silk stockings as she deftly unclipped the front hooks of the garters. Ali smirked at her and got up on her knees so her wife could reach behind her thighs and unclip the two hooks in the back. 

“Hurry up” she whimpered as she brought both hands to her own breasts and squeezed them. “I need you.”

Ashlyn sat up and pulled the brunette into a long, slow kiss that left them both breathless. She tugged the garter and g-string down over Ali’s hips and onto her lower thighs and then pulled her down on top of her into another fiery kiss. They both moaned and let their tongues duel as the kiss got hotter and hungrier. 

“Oh Ash” Ali gasped out as the keeper flipped her over onto her back and kissed her again. 

Ashlyn’s hands worked up the brunette’s breasts as they made out again while Ali’s found her keeper’s bare ass. They were as close as they could possibly be, breast to breast and hip to hip. The brunette reached down to try and push her garter and g-string lower so she could open her legs.

“I’m getting there baby” Ashlyn panted out at the end of the kiss. “Jesus you taste good. I love your mouth...”

Ali cut her off with another hungry kiss as she put her hands back on the blonde’s ass and pulled her against her own mound as hard as she could. She thrust her hips up into Ashlyn, desperate for some friction. The keeper began working her way down her wife’s beautiful body. She kissed and sucked and licked each breast and chuckled when she felt Ali’s hand on top of her head, pushing it lower.

“Alright, alright” she acquiesced with a sly grin as she let the brunette guide her head where she wanted it.

Ashlyn paused at the sweet spot, resisting her wife’s strong pressure on her head. She swirled her tongue around the spot near Ali’s left hip and grinned again when she heard the low groan that came out of the brunette’s throat.

“Ashlyn, please...”

The keeper moved lower and kept going past Ali’s hot center. The brunette whined and tried to pull her back up.

“Hold on sexy, almost there” she cooed as she pushed the garter and g-string down past Ali’s knees. The brunette bent her knees so she could pull them all the way off. “What about the stock...”

“Just fucking leave them” she answered, her voice strained and thick.

Any ideas Ashlyn had about prolonging things vanished as soon as she looked up and saw her wife’s sopping wet pussy, ready and waiting for her. It was all over after that. The keeper wasted no time and pressed her face right into Ali’s hot center. She licked through her soaked folds and hummed loudly against her wife’s soft, sweet flesh. She was lying on her stomach between Ali’s legs with her arms trying to hold her hips down. Once the brunette was sure Ashlyn was going to stay there, she moved her hands up to her own breasts and started pinching and tugging them. 

“I’m close” she husked out, too excited to waste breath on more words than that.

Ashlyn could tell she was very close by the way her walls were already starting to grab at her tongue. She was disappointed because she was looking forward to spending more time down there with her mouth. The blonde moved up to her wife’s aching clit and circled it a few times. She got on her knees and looked up to Ali’s face.

“Do you want the strap-on?”

“No” Ali shook her head, panting. “Just you and me.” She met Ashlyn’s gaze and felt all the love passing between them in that moment. She reached her right hand out for the keeper to hold. “I love you Ash.”

The blonde moved so she was kneeling next to Ali’s right hip, facing her hip. She let her wife have her left hand and quickly got back to work with her right hand. Ashlyn bent over and brought her lips down to her clit, sucking it into her hot mouth as she pushed two fingers into her hungry pussy.

“Fuck yeah...unnnhhh...oh you fuck me so good babe” the brunette groaned out as her breasts bounced along with the thrusts from her wife’s skilled hand.

She took one of them in her own hand and squeezed it hard while she felt Ashlyn’s tongue start to flick her clit back and forth.

“Oh my God, yes!” she yelled as she pinched her own nipple. 

Ashlyn sped up her thrusts and went as deep as she could possibly go. She tilted her head a little to the side and saw Ali press her head back into the pillow and close her eyes as her orgasm approached. She felt the brunette squeeze her hand and bring it up to her other breast, never undoing their fingers. Ali just took the back of Ashlyn’s hand and rubbed it against her stiff nipple as she started to pant. The keeper curled her fingers inside her wife’s center and flicked her clit as hard and fast as she could for a few seconds before Ali’s orgasm overtook her.

“Yes! Fuck! Oh!” she shouted out each word as she came undone in Ashlyn’s arms.

Her body convulsed and her legs shot out straight as she twitched and shook. Ashlyn was very happy with her choice of positioning when she noted that Ali was still wearing her heels as well as the sexy stockings. As much as she wanted to be there to help her ride out her orgasm, the blonde knew she had a job to do. She silently cursed herself for not paying more attention before they got all hot and bothered. She wasn’t sure where the syringe was that she was going to fill with sperm and then shoot into her wife in the next, hopefully, thirty seconds. She tried not to panic as her eyes scanned the area next to the canister which was on the floor by the fireplace. She finally saw the syringe, partially covered by a pillow that had been flung sideways during their romp.

“Ash?”

She heard Ali’s voice, still shaking from her orgasm as her body started to recover. It was soft but urgent.

“I’m on it honey, just relax and stay in your moment. Don’t worry about it.”

Ashlyn leaned across her prone, still panting body and grabbed both the canister and the syringe. She was surprisingly calm. She knew what she had to do and had done it before. Within twenty seconds she had filled the needle-less syringe, lubed it up with a generous coating of her own juices and was pushing it slowly inside the brunette.

“Try and relax” she encouraged, knowing she needed Ali’s help to get the syringe where it needed to be.

When she felt the open tip of it bump into Ali’s cervix she pulled it back a tiny bit and pushed the plunger, slowly and evenly, and pulled the syringe back out again. Ali reflexively closed her legs and brought her knees up, reaching for her wife’s hand at the same time. The keeper got up and slowly spun Ali a quarter turn so that she could put her legs up on the side of the bed. Ashlyn propped two pillows under her hips so they were canted upwards. She was supposed to stay in this position for at least a half an hour but their fertility doctor said an hour was even better. Ashlyn covered Ali’s legs with a light blanket and then lay down on her side next to her wife. She snuggled up close and kissed Ali’s lips softly.

“You ready?”

Ali nodded and moved her hand to her own clit, not wanting to waste any time or motion by having the blonde do it for her. She rubbed the still sensitive bud while Ashlyn used her hand on her breasts and nipples. Having an orgasm right afterwards was helpful because, during orgasm, the cervix dips down a little bit into the vagina to encourage and welcome the sperm inside. But you couldn’t get off using any penetration or you’d scatter all your sperm around. 

Ashlyn played with her wife’s breasts, pressed hot kisses into her neck and whispered sexy things in her ear as the brunette gave herself an orgasm. Ali tried not to move when she came and the keeper helped her keep her hips as still as possible. Ashlyn pulled another blanket over them as they lay there together, silently hoping and praying while Ali caught her breath again.

“Did you set an alarm?”

Ashlyn reached up for Ali’s phone and handed it to the brunette, then kissed her forehead as she snuggled back into place.

“Just set the alarm honey” she instructed as she moved brunette hair away from Ali’s neck and over her shoulder. “We’re supposed to be focusing on baby thoughts, remember?”

“I know, that’s all I’m thinking about right now” Ali replied as she set the alarm and then gave the phone back to her wife with a slow kiss. “Well, that and how incredible you just made me feel.”

They kissed again and enjoyed being so close. It was peaceful and they might have fallen asleep if they weren’t so excited. 

“Do you still think we’re going to have a girl?” Ali asked softly after a few minutes. “Whenever it happens, I’m not assuming anything and I don’t mean to jinx anything” she said and looked up to the heavens as she spoke the last sentence.

Ashlyn chuckled and pressed a kiss into her temple.

“I do. I really do and I have no idea why.”

They spent the next hour like that, snuggled up close, and talked about what they thought their little girl, whenever she might come into existence, would be like. They talked about painting Meg’s room and turning it into the official nursery. They ran through a list of things they would do to prepare the big old house for their new baby and talked about who would be the godparents. It was a marvelous, sweet, lovely way to spend an hour and they were both sorry when Ali’s alarm went off. Ashlyn leaned over her wife’s belly as she got up and spoke to their hopefully fertilized egg.

“Come on baby Krieger. We’re rooting for you. You can do it.” She paused for a few seconds as her emotions got to her. She placed a tender kiss to Ali’s stomach just before she spoke again. “We love you.”


	40. Two Week Wait

The two weeks they had to wait before they could find out if Ali was pregnant seemed to last two years. They both tried to be strong for the other and stay positive and upbeat. But it was nerve-wracking as hell. The only good thing about that time was that they were both busy so there was lots to distract them. The irony was that a lot of their extra time those days was kid-related. So it was hard not to think about their future baby.

Meg had come up to Gloucester again for a week in mid-August. Hannah flew up with her and stayed for the first weekend and then went home while Meg stayed behind again. The little girl loved being at the house. Between the beach and the dogs and the three women who doted on her, she had a pretty sweet set up. And as much as Meg got out of her vacation, she gave just as much back. She really was a sweet little girl. They all enjoyed having her around and playing with her and even talking with her. Six years old seemed so much older than five. She was growing into quite a character. That week was one of the highlights of the year for both Meg and Ashlyn. Ali remembered it fondly that last day of August as she was putting together a photobook for each of them to have. She had decided to do one every time Meg came up for a summertime visit.

And Cash Dwyer had his first birthday in September, which was the same month that Sydney went back to work. After a rough adjustment period, the coach found her groove as a working mom and seemed happier than ever. Ali teased her that she was just happy not to be pregnant anymore and her best friend couldn’t deny it. Sydney and Whitney were the only people who knew that Ali and Ashlyn were trying to get pregnant. Well, Mattie, their therapist, too. The brunette shared a confession of her own with her best friend early in September during one of their Wednesday nights. It was actually a Tuesday night because they had to be very flexible with their schedules that year. 

“So what’s bugging you boo?” Sydney asked as she stretched out on her couch and watched her best friend playing on the floor with her soon to be one year old son. “And don’t tell me nothing because you’ve been trying to tell me something all night.”

“Really, it’s nothing” Ali replied as she blew raspberries against Cash’s bare stomach and giggled like a fool.

Sydney gave her a withering look.

“Yeah, that’s not cutting it. And if you don’t tell me then I’m not letting you put my sweet child to bed.”

Ali turned her head quickly to see if the coach was serious about her threat or not. She saw Sydney’s jaw set and her inquisitive eyes studying her as she finished changing Cash’s diaper and putting his adorable giraffe jammies on him.

“You mean you’d let me get him all changed and jammied up and then deny me the best part?” she tested, trying to use her pout to get her way.

“And you can put that sad little face away too.” Sydney rolled her eyes. “I’m not some pussy-whipped goalkeeper who falls for it every damned time.”

Ali opened her mouth and gasped in mock horror as her best friend laughed at her.

“Fine” the brunette conceded as she picked her godson up, cradled him in her arms and fed him his nighttime bottle. She didn’t say anything else for several minutes. She just watched Cash’s angelic face as he gobbled up his formula. “He’s such a good boy” she cooed and brushed her finger across his cheek as he smiled back at her around the bottle.

“He’s perfect” Sydney agreed softly, moved by how good Ali was with the baby and how much he loved his auntie and godmother.

Ali successfully stalled long enough to burp him after his bottle and then bring him upstairs to the nursery. She sat in the rocking chair and read him two little board books and then settled him into his crib with a kiss.

“Goodnight sweet boy” she said softly as she gently rubbed his belly. “I love you.”

Sydney had to come upstairs thirty minutes later to drag her away from watching the baby sleeping peacefully.

“Alright, let’s hear it” she ordered, once they had re-grouped on the sofa with some chocolate. No wine though, in case Ali was pregnant. “What’s going on?”

“Oh Syd, it seems so silly to worry about it when I don’t even know if I’m pregnant yet...”

“Oh, you’re pregnant” the coach interjected casually.

“What?” Ali looked at Sydney with a puzzled face.

“I can just tell” she replied nonchalantly. 

Ali rolled her eyes playfully at her confident best friend and continued.

“Well I hope you’re right, but I’m trying not to get my hopes up.”

“You find out next Tuesday, right?”

“Yes. If I don’t spontaneously combust from nerves before then” the brunette chuckled and sighed. She chewed her bottom lip for a minute and felt Sydney’s careful gaze on her. “I’m terrified that my pregnancy will be really difficult, like yours was” she admitted quietly.

The coach didn’t say anything for a minute. She just reached over and took Ali’s hand in hers as they both stared idly at the coffee table full of baby toys and unopened mail.

“I’m scared for you too Alibaba. I can’t pretend I’m not” Sydney finally replied with a squeeze of her hand. “Nobody knows how it’s going to go, for any of us. You just have to have faith and take the leap.”

They were quiet again until Ali realized there was no further advice coming from her bestie.

“You need to work on your pep talks” she chided, only a little playfully.

Sydney laughed. “Well, it’s the truth. I’m not going to lie to you. I’m still terrified about my pregnancy and it’s almost been a whole year!” She laughed again. “But that was me. So many other women have pregnancies where they love every second of it. You just don’t know how yours is going to go. But that’s life my friend. Look at what a great baby Cash is now. I thought I was giving birth to Satan’s spawn after the worst nine months of my life. But he’s fucking perfect.”

“He really is a dream baby” Ali agreed with a grin. 

“But who knew?” Sydney asked dramatically. “That’s my point. You just have to believe in yourself and your body and you’ll get through it.”

“This is still a pretty shitty pep talk.”

The coach laughed again and slapped her own thigh. “Ok, here’s some more truth for you boo boo. If I can do it then you can sure as hell do it.”

“Come on, how lame is that?” Ali challenged with a laugh.

“I’m dead serious Alexandra.” The use of her full name got the brunette’s attention. “You are the strongest person I know and I hope you have a great pregnancy. I honestly do. But if you don’t, if you have a tough one like mine, I know you’ll still crush it. You’re tough as fucking nails and you never quit and I can’t think of anybody I’d rather have in my corner than you. Why the hell do you think you’re his godmother?” she nodded toward the stairs as she spoke. “You’re stronger than me and you always have been. So if I can do it, then you can totally do it.”

She leaned over and gave Ali a big hug and kissed her on the cheek.

“Thank you. I know it’s silly, but I really needed to hear that.”

“I’m happy to repeat it anytime you get scared” she replied with a warm smile and another squeeze of Ali’s hand. “You got this Kriegs.”

//

The second week of waiting was worse than the first one had been. Ashlyn and Whitney were on the road for an away game and Ali was climbing the walls in anticipation. It was Sunday and she had all day to get through before she could focus on the Breakers’ game against Portland later that evening. It was supposed to be her Sunday fun day but she had cancelled her plans with Erica and Liz because she knew if she saw them she wouldn’t be able to keep her mouth shut about their baby plans. She busied herself as best she could with chores around the house and then finally plopped down on the couch and turned the PS4 on. She needed to unplug her entire brain and go visit some other world where she could shoot people and blow things up. Her plan worked well for a couple of hours and she felt more relaxed than she had all week. But she still had two more hours until kickoff.

“Hi honey, how are you?” Deb answered the phone enthusiastically, as she always did when one of her kids called her.

“I’m good mom” Ali couldn’t help but grin when she heard her mother’s voice. She always felt better after talking to her mom if she was nervous about something. Always. But she and Ashlyn had decided not to tell their families anything until there was something definitive to tell them. She still thought it was the right thing to do, but she couldn’t help herself that Sunday afternoon. “How are you?”

“What’s the matter Alex?” Deb’s voice was flat but urgent with worry. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine mom, nothing’s wrong, I promise.”

“Ok, so why don’t I believe you?” Deb chuckled nervously. “Let’s do Facetime so I can see you, then I’ll know...”

“No, mom” Ali paused, knowing the jig was up. She kind of knew it would be, eventually during the call, but she thought it would take her mom a whole lot longer to realize she needed to talk. She let out a big sigh. “Can you talk for a minute?”

“Of course honey. We’re just getting ready for dinner so we can watch the game.”

“Well, do you want to call me later?...”

Deb chuckled. “No I want to talk to you now sweetheart. If Mike can’t handle grilling by himself then we’ve got bigger problems than I thought.”

“Are you and Mike having problems?”

“No, no, it’s just an expression” Deb offered but not very convincingly. “Ok, I’m in my bedroom with the door closed. What’s going on baby girl?”

They talked for almost an hour. Ali told her mom about their plan and that they were waiting for the appointment at the fertility clinic on Tuesday to find out if she was pregnant or not. Deb asked all the right questions, in her typically honest but supportive and concerned way, about Ashlyn’s well-being and about Ali’s schedule. She told her daughter some stories about the early days of her first pregnancy and they laughed about Ken’s reaction to learning he was going to be a father.

“If you’re anything like I was then you’re going to have some pretty bad morning sickness I’m afraid” she explained sadly. “I had it with both of you for almost the first trimester.”

“Ugh, thanks mom” Ali teased.

“Well, the good news is that after that it was pretty smooth sailing. I mean, you get uncomfortable towards the end because you’re carrying another human around, but both my pregnancies were easier than some. Certainly easier than poor Syd’s. That poor thing.”

“Yeah, I’m trying to pretend that never happened” Ali giggled nervously. “But it scares me every day” she continued, unable to hide the fear in her voice.

“Honey, you’ll be just fine” Deb confirmed. “You’re smart and strong and you’re in great shape. And you’ll do all the right things for the baby. I wouldn’t worry too much. It’ll only make things worse.”

Ali heard her mother’s words and thought back to Sydney’s revelatory conversation at her Jill and Jill party the year before.

“I know I do that” the brunette admitted. “I’ve been working on it, but I’ve done it all my life. I can’t imagine it’s going to get easier to stop when it comes to having a baby.”

“It’s a fine line between being a worry wort and being prepared. Just write yourself a note and put it in whatever pregnancy book you’re reading to remind yourself.”

“What a great idea! Thanks mom.”

“You want a great idea? I’ll give you the best one ever” Deb’s voice was playful but her daughter knew she was serious. “Let people help you. Ask us what worked for us and what didn’t work. We’ll tell you. Some of us have been down this road before and there’s a lot that’s different” she chuckled. “But there’s a lot that’s always going to be the same. Don’t try and do this all by yourself Alex. You’re just going to make yourself a nervous wreck for nothing. Be smarter than that ok honey?”

“I’ll try mom.”

//

Ashlyn paced back and forth in the waiting room of the fertility clinic like a soldier on guard duty. She held her wrist behind her back and bent her head low as she marched from one end of the room to the other and then turned and came back. They had arrived a little early because they just couldn’t stand to wait at home anymore that day. And now the fertility doctor was running behind schedule. 

“They’re going to send you a bill for new carpet if you don’t stop destroying theirs” Ali teased the next time her wife walked by her.

“How can you just be sitting there so calm? How can you be reading that magazine? I can’t even hear because my heart is pounding so loud in my ears right now” she gushed out anxiously as she took her seat next to the brunette. “My palms are even sweating!” she exclaimed and held up her hands to prove her point.

“You’re nervous enough for the both of us babe” Ali chuckled and took both of Ashlyn’s hands in her own. “Wow, you weren’t kidding about the sweaty palms” she raised her eyebrows in surprise but then quickly recovered her composure. She saw the blonde’s face fall and leaned forward to give her keeper a quick kiss. “I love you. I hope we’re pregnant, more than anything. But if we’re not, we’ll just try again. Ok?”

Ever since she had talked to her mom on the phone, Ali was much calmer about everything baby related. She confessed to her wife as soon as the blonde had returned from her road trip Monday afternoon. Ashlyn was upset at first because they had come to that decision together and she had expected her wife to honor it. But when she saw what a calming effect the phone call had had on the brunette, she couldn’t stay disappointed for long. And the keeper had been away, travelling with the team and she tried hard to understand how stressful and lonely the weekend had been for Ali. To her credit, the brunette hadn’t used that as an excuse. She just explained that she had to talk to her mom that day. Ali barely remembered making the call, just the wonderful conversation. The keeper had to admit that it wasn’t very often that the brunette broke the rules or caved on something like that. The stress from working so diligently on her MBA that year was probably starting to pile up too. Ashlyn had decided, however, to wait until after their appointment on Tuesday to tell her own mother any news.

“Krieger?”

“Right here!” Ashlyn said much too loudly and jumped to her feet.

As she sat there in the clinic office, Ali could hear the doctor talking to them about hCG levels and follow up beta tests and prenatal vitamins but the only thought that was in her head was that she was probably pregnant. She didn’t realize probably pregnant was even a possibility. But she assumed the fertility specialists had to couch all of their results in vagueness so they didn’t get the hopes up for some couples who had been truly struggling for years trying to get pregnant. 

“So we’ll see you back here in another three days for the next beta test and go from there, ok?”

Ashlyn squeezed her wife’s hand again, harder this time because she had ignored it the last two times.

“Al...Ali” she said and put her hand on the brunette’s shoulder.

“Oh, sorry. I um, yes, three days. We’ll be back” Ali said with a strange look on her beautiful face.

They walked to Ashlyn’s Suburu after scheduling the next beta test, holding hands and saying nothing. Once they were safely inside, where nobody could come and tell them it was a mistake, they looked at each other with serious looks on their faces.

“Are you ok Al?” Ashlyn asked as she reached for her wife’s hand across the console between their seats.

“Did that really just happen?” the brunette asked in a strangled voice. She sounded like she had something trapped in her throat that was fighting to get out. 

The keeper was starting to get freaked out. Ali hadn’t said much of anything since they got the almost positive news and she was acting really odd.

“Baby, yes, he said your hCG levels looked good and that all signs pointed to you being pregnant...”

Ali screamed. Like a blood curdling, glass shattering scream that made Ashlyn jump a foot out of her seat. And she squeezed the keeper’s hand so hard that Ashlyn thought she might have broken it. 

“Oh my God, we’re pregnant!! We did it!! I can’t believe it” Ali finally breathed for a minute after yelling loudly. Her chest was heaving and tears of joy ran down her cheeks. “I can’t fucking believe it” she smiled her nose-crinkling smile, placed her other hand onto her belly and looked down at it. 

“Jesus woman” the blonde yelped as she tried to recover from the worry about her wife, Ali’s scream, and the bone crunching hand squeeze. “You really shouldn’t try to kill me like that. We’re pregnant and you’re going to need me around.”

The brunette looked over at her keeper and seemed, for the first time in thirty minutes, to actually see her.

“Oh Ashlyn” she said emotionally, tears still covering her grinning face. “I’m so happy. I love you so much honey.” She leaned over the console and pulled her wife into a deep kiss. When they leaned back to breathe she continued. “We’re having a baby! I can’t fucking believe it!”

A dimpled grin graced Ashlyn’s face as she chuckled and watched the woman she loved try to come to terms with the wonderful, life-changing news they had just received. She reached her free hand over and cupped Ali’s face, brushing some tears away with her thumb. The brunette nuzzled against her hand and blinked up adoringly at her wife through her lashes.

“Well believe it my love” Ashlyn said softly, still smiling. “We’re having a baby.”

//

After the second beta test, 3 days later, the results were still positive and the pregnancy was officially official. The Breakers had two games left in their season and that weekend, Saturday September 15th, was their away game against Orlando. The couple had planned all season long for Ali to join Ashlyn for the weekend so they could visit with family and take a day to relax on the beach. They agreed to wait and tell everyone their good news until they were face to face with them Friday night. Whitney, Sydney and Deb already knew. The couple had told them after the first beta test results had been positive because they were already waiting along with them for the news. Ashlyn tried to get her best friend to join them after team dinner that night when she met up with her family.

“No thanks” the defender said with a smile. “I’ll stay here and watch the kids while you go out galavanting around” she teased and winked. Whitney was so happy for the keeper that it was hard for her to do anything except smile at her. She knew how much Ashlyn wanted to be a mom and she knew how excited the couple was about their wonderful news. “Go on” she playfully pushed Ashlyn towards the door of their hotel room. “Say hi to everybody and tell them I’ll see them tomorrow.”

The original plan was for the blonde to pretend to have some serious news to share with everybody. But, in light of the sad year it had been for all of the Harrises, Ali convinced her wife not to play that trick on their families. It would never have worked anyway because the keeper’s face was in a perpetual smile that day. They had gone to the fertility clinic in the morning for the beta test and results and then boarded a plane with the team to Orlando that same afternoon. Chris, Beth, baby John, Mike, Tammye, Deb, and Kyle crowded into Ali’s hotel room and looked curiously at Ashlyn’s beaming face as she stood with her wife at the end of the room by the window. Kyle held his phone up, Facetiming with Ken and Vicki, so they could see the blonde.

“So, um, we have some news to share...” the keeper started, standing arm-in-arm with Ali who also had a huge smile on her face. “I was going to tease you all, but I just can’t do it. I’m too fucking excited” she squeaked out, the pitch of her voice rising with her excitement level.

“Get on with it!” Chris yelled from the back of the group.

“Spit it out!” Kyle added from his spot on one of the beds, still holding up his phone.

Ali squeezed her wife’s waist and kissed her cheek quickly. “Hurry up babe. The natives are getting restless.”

“Ok, ok!” the keeper tried to glare at her brother but couldn’t get her face to do anything but grin. “Ali’s pregnant.”

Everybody gasped and started talking at the same time. They moved forward as one big, exuberant group to try and hug the happy couple and congratulate them. Over the course of the next half hour, everyone got their hugs and kisses in and Ali made it very clear that no-one outside of that room was to know about her pregnancy. It was immediate family only. It was too early for an official due date, but they were guessing sometime in May. Once they had made it safely through the first three months, they would make an official announcement to extended family and friends. The love that filled that hotel room was truly wonderful. It was tinged with sadness though, everyone missing the person with the largest heart of them all. Mike Harris, who had struggled more than anybody else that year, broke down when he gave his daughter a hug goodbye as people started filing out of the room. They were going to re-convene for celebratory dessert downstairs in the hotel restaurant.

“Pop, it’s ok” Ashlyn choked out, moved by her father’s show of emotions, as she hugged him hard. 

His body was wracked by sobs and the keeper thought she might not be able to support him. He wasn’t as big as Chris, but he was still a pretty big guy. Ali hesitated by the door, trying to decide if she should help her wife or leave the two of them alone. Ashlyn nodded at her and the brunette left the room and followed the rest of the group down to the restaurant. The blonde managed to move her father so they could both sit down on the edge of the nearest bed. She held him and let him cry for almost five full minutes, neither of them saying a word.

“Jesus I’m sorry Bash” he said, using her childhood nickname that nobody but Gram and Chris still used. 

He sat up and hastily started wiping the tears off of his face with both hands. He got up and went into the bathroom to blow his nose and wash his hands. He left the door open, not wanting to shut out his daughter and break their connection.

“I’m so happy for you honey” he said with a genuine smile, complete with dimple, as he sat back on the bed and held Ashlyn’s hands.

“Thanks Pop. We’re pretty happy too” she beamed, matching dimple appearing. They grinned at each other for a minute and Ashlyn saw the storms raging behind his clear blue eyes. “I wish she was here too. Every fucking day. I...I’ve had a really hard time handling it, losing her” she admitted and dropped her eyes to her lap. “And I suck at asking for help. I always have” she glanced back up.

“Yeah, that seems to be a family trait” Mike sighed.

“I’ve been going to a therapist since Thanksgiving, when we found out. I go every couple of weeks and it really helps me.”

“That’s not for me. I’ve tried and I can’t do it.”

“I know, and I’m not trying to tell you what to do” she smiled softly at her father and squeezed his hands. “I just want to tell you that it’s ok to need help, especially now when we’re all hurting so much. It doesn’t matter if you talk to a therapist or a friend or a pastor or...” she paused, afraid for a second of offending the broken man in front of her, “a daughter. You just need to talk to somebody about what’s going on inside. That’s all.”

“I do talk to somebody” he admitted, lowering his eyes, unable to say anything more without breaking down again.

“That’s good Pop.” She leaned over and hugged him again, knowing he couldn’t offer anything else at that moment. “I’m proud of you. None of this is easy and I’m so proud of how hard you’re fighting to stay in it with us.” She choked back her emotions again. “Thank you” her voice cracked. “I want you around to be the best grandpa in the world for my baby. Will you do that for us?”

She pulled back and met his eyes. Tear-filled, clear, blue met crying, tawny hazel as both father and daughter fought to stay strong for the other.

“I will Bash, I promise. I will.”

//

It was Sunday afternoon, the next weekend, and Ashlyn was standing in Sydney and Dom’s screen porch watching baby Cash demolish his first birthday cake with both hands. Being godmother had its’ perks. Sydney had scheduled the birthday party around Ashlyn’s last game of the season. The keeper and the rest of the team had flown home from Kansas City earlier that afternoon and had just made it to the party after their flight had been delayed. The keeper had to call Ali and ask her to go buy gifts for the baby for Kristie Mewis, Julie King, Angela Salem and Megan Oyster to give to the baby once they got there. And she would need her to bring Whitney’s gift from the big old house too. The defender was not a procrastinator. Sydney had become close with almost all of the Breakers players over the last three years. She and Kristie had clicked instantly and Julie hadn’t been far behind. Last year she didn’t go to too many games because she was so uncomfortably pregnant, but she had been to almost all of them this season. She brought Cash to some of the games, but Sydney used most of the games as her release. She went to the games with Ali and they had a blast and then they went out with the team afterwards and had even more fun. Ali was using the games for the same reason. It was her time to let loose and enjoy herself amidst all the diligent studying and Knight-Harris work she was doing. They all ended up having much more fun at a first birthday party than they should have. Sydney’s mom thought it was incredible that so many busy, young women made time to attend her grandson’s party. After the cake had been destroyed and the presents opened and appreciated, Sandi kicked them all out of her daughter’s house. Dom went up to take a nap after cleaning up and Sandi was going to babysit so the ladies could move the party to a local restaurant for dinner and more fun. It was one of the best evenings they had had in a long time and everybody enjoyed themselves. Ali had fun too, although it wasn’t nearly as much fun when she was the only one not drinking. She artfully dodged the questions that came from the Breakers players by saying she had an exam early the next morning to explain the steady stream of water and juice she drank.

As they lay in bed that night, Ashlyn’s mind wandered back to the birthday party. In a few minutes it started trying to think of something celebratory to do for Ali’s pregnancy. She thought back over the year up to that point and grimaced as she realized they hadn’t done a very good job of celebrating anything so far. Ashlyn had missed the Boston Marathon again and had been furious about it at the time. She was still deeply grieving Gram but she was desperate to share that special day with her wife for the first time ever. The Breakers first game of the season was that weekend in New Jersey and their return flight home had been cancelled because of terrible storms that were pounding most of the East coast. The team didn’t land in Boston until Monday afternoon. She and Ali were supposed to host Easter again but the Breakers had had an afternoon Pre-season game that Sunday so Ken and Vicki hosted again. They had done a good job with the 4th of July, celebrating with Kyle and Nathan and Sydney and Dom and Whitney at Rob’s roofdeck party. But Ashlyn had been away again, in Kansas City for an away game, for the Horribles parade and the blonde really missed it. Ali’s birthday had been nice too, but not nearly as nice as previous years. Ashlyn had a home game the next day so she had taken her beautiful wife out to a nice, fancy dinner, given her a gorgeous bracelet, and taken her to a concert in Boston that Saturday night. Their first wedding anniversary was the night before the Breakers’ away game in Seattle, so Ashlyn was gone for that too. And, even though they celebrated with sweet, thoughtful, paper gifts and a lovely dinner out, it didn’t feel good enough to the blonde as she reflected on it that night in bed. Especially not that year when they had let so many things just slide.

“Why are you still awake?” Ali asked quietly when she realized her keeper’s eyes were wide open and she was frowning up at the ceiling. They had only been in bed for about thirty minutes, but if they were in bed together like that, snuggled up and ready for sleep, they were either sleeping or talking. And they had stopped talking about twenty minutes earlier. “You ok babe?” she asked when Ashlyn didn’t respond.

“I’m just thinking about all of the things I didn’t do very well this year” the blonde confessed, never taking her eyes from the dark ceiling. “I’m really sorry Ali.”

“Honey, what are you even talking about?” Ali got up on her right elbow to look at her wife’s melancholy face.

“Just, us. I really haven’t been here for you this year and...”

“Ashlyn” she interrupted and put her hand on her wife’s chest and patted it. “Don’t do that, don’t apologize for things that weren’t your fault.” Ali paused and waited for the blonde to look over at her. “We’ve both done the very best we could so far this year. I have no doubt of that. I wish a lot of things had been different. But they weren’t.” She shrugged her shoulders and studied Ashlyn’s worried face. “We both knew this year was going to be hard with me going back to school. And it has been. It’s been really hard for me anyway. I feel...” she stopped and looked down as the depth of her emotions caught her by surprise. “I feel like I wasn’t there for you, with Gram...”

“No, Al, that’s so not true” Ashlyn rolled over onto her side so she was facing her wife. She reached up and brushed some soft brown hair over her shoulder and cupped Ali’s face. “God, I’ll never be able to thank you enough for everything you did for me. I couldn’t have done anything with Gram without you being there for me. I’m so sorry if I haven’t thanked you enough or explained it right.”

They hugged for a long time, just holding each other and rubbing soft circles into backs and arms.

“I missed the marathon again. We couldn’t host Easter. I missed the Horribles...”

“Sweetheart, none of that matters” the brunette interrupted again. “Sure, I’d love doing all of those things with you and we will do them, a lot. We’ve got our whole lives ahead of us. It’s not a race. You’re a professional athlete and you travel a lot to earn your living. Don’t apologize for that. We just have to be flexible and celebrate when we can. That’s all. I don’t have a problem with it and I don’t think you should either. When you’re done playing we can try and hit some more actual dates. But I’m good, just the way things are now.” She paused to see if Ashlyn had anything to add to that. After a couple of minutes of quiet breathing, she continued. “This year has been brutal but I think you’ve been amazing. We had a really nice 4th of July and my birthday was awesome. And we practically made a baby on our freaking anniversary! I mean, how much better can you do than that?” she chuckled, still in her wife’s warm embrace, talking with her chin over Ashlyn’s shoulder.

The keeper pulled her head back to look into her wife’s eyes. She saw what she so often saw there, pure devotion and unwavering love. Ashlyn would never truly understand how she had gotten so lucky. Never in her wildest dreams, in all those nights down in her Satellite Beach bed with the glow in the dark stars above it, did she imagine she would find a woman who loved her like this. She knew she was the luckiest person alive.


	41. Soccer Anyone?

2018 was a big year for the NWSL. The Lifetime TV sponsorship and broadcasting deal had been a big help in growing the league. The league had stabilized the schedule for most of the games, working around Lifetime TV’s ‘Game of the Week’ every Saturday at 4pm (EST). They had to have at least three games scheduled for that time slot every single week and they had done that during the previous season. In 2018 most of the games were scheduled for that time for all of the East coast teams. Not all of them. There were still some Sunday evening games and, of course, the Wednesday night games they had to schedule to make up for the FIFA international window dates. The central time zone and pacific time zone teams had 4pm games in their own times and only changed to a 3pm or 1pm start when Lifetime TV saw a particularly good match they wanted to promote. The teams that had the big, fancy, new, soccer specific stadiums were the games that they wanted to broadcast from. So that meant Orlando and North Carolina were the two favorites on the East coast. Houston and one of the two expansion teams that year, the Minnesota Shieldmaidens, were the two favorites in the Central time zone. And Portland and the other expansion team, Los Angeles Strikers, were the favorites for the Pacific time zone. That was half the league. The other six teams that were playing on nice pitches that were significantly smaller were Boston and Washington on the East coast; Chicago and Kansas City in the Central time zone; and Seattle in the Pacific time zone. That left Sky Blue FC in New Jersey alone on an island as the team with the worst field and facilities. The rumor was that the next round of expansion teams would include one of the two MLS soccer teams from New York City taking over what was left of the Sky Blue organization. The other cities that were hoping to join the league in the next couple of years were Atlanta and Vancouver, Canada. The league was growing and sponsorship and fan interest was increasing accordingly. Nobody talked about whether or not the league could survive. They talked about how quickly it could grow without hurting itself. The MLS teams were realizing what Orlando, Houston and Portland had known for a couple of years – there was support and even demand for a well-run, professional women’s team in almost every MLS market.

The Breakers finished in second place that season, behind the Portland Thorns who won the Shield again. Boston got to host the first playoff game in over a decade and it was incredible. They beat the NC Courage the last weekend in September and went back to the championship game, this time hosted by the new LA team in their big stadium. Ali went with her wife again and spent Championship week making contacts and getting to know more people in and around the NWSL community. She had to bring a lot of her course work with her but she still managed to represent Knight-Harris well. Jen and the other new agent they had hired, Paige, were both there as well. Championship week had turned out to be quite the destination for players, fans, executives and media alike.

That year, with a healthy Ashlyn Harris, Megan Oyster and Morgan Andrews on the pitch, and a talented young team with an extra year’s experience together, they beat the Portland Thorns and won the NWSL Championship! It was a surreal moment for the keeper. Stoppage time expired and the ref blew her whistle to end the game, giving Boston a stunning 4-3 victory. The ball was at the other end of the field and Ashlyn just dropped to her knees and buried her face in her gloves as the realization hit her and took her breath away. She felt so many different emotions in that moment that it was hard to identify any of them. Whitney, of course, was the first one to reach her. She got down on her knees and hugged her best friend, congratulating her and telling her how proud Gram would be of her for fighting so hard all year long. That only made the keeper cry, but she honestly wasn’t sure if they were tears of joy or sadness. Ultimately, she decided it didn’t matter and she was just going to let the tears flow. Most of the bench and her back line had made it over to the goal area by then and in another few minutes the rest of the players on the field made their way back to the keeper. Before she could even think of protesting, they picked her up and had her up on their strong shoulders in a tight bunch, marching her toward midfield. 

Everyone knew about Gram’s death because Ashlyn had talked about it during pre-season in the documentary for Lifetime TV. The media that week had repeatedly asked her about it and she had been able to deflect most of the attention back towards her teammates. The blonde had worked hard for the fame that she enjoyed but she didn’t want to steal the spotlight from her team. That night, after they had shaken hands with the other team and gathered with the championship cup on the pitch for some more pictures, the sideline reporter finally got her to say the words out loud.

“This one’s for Gram! I know she’s watching” Ashlyn yelled exuberantly, a huge smile across her sweaty, dirty, tear-streaked face.

It had been eight months since Gram had passed away, but that warm October night in LA was the first time Ashlyn felt at peace about losing her. As soon as she could break away for a couple of minutes the blonde ran to the edge of the field and instructed the security guard to let her wife through. They hugged for a long time, neither saying a word, but both knowing how special the moment was. Ashlyn knew she would not be standing there without the incredible support from her beautiful brunette. She didn’t even want to think where she would be without Ali’s strong, steady hand guiding her through those often terrible, tumultuous eight months. And for the first time in a very long time Ashlyn didn’t feel guilty about being happy.

//

Probably the most surprising development of the year for everybody was Tammye’s relationship with her friend Carol. They didn’t reveal the change to anybody until October when Carol accompanied Tammye to the NWSL Championship week in LA. 

“I’m telling you, something’s going on with them” Ali said as she and her wife walked back to her hotel room.

It was late Tuesday afternoon and they had just spent a couple of hours with Tammye and Carol walking around the area and catching up. The keeper had to be back for team dinner and her mother had asked her if she could talk to her alone sometime afterwards.

“What do you mean?” Ashlyn asked almost rhetorically. “They’re best friends. They don’t do anything you and Syd don’t do.”

“Um, Syd doesn’t look at me like she wants to fuck my brains out.”

“Oh gross, first of all” the keeper hipchecked her wife as they kept walking down the hall. “Second of all, you’re crazy. I didn’t see any of that.”

“Carol looked at your mom that way three times and we were only with them for a couple of hours” Ali defended her position. “I’ll bet they’re having sex right now” she grinned, amused by Ashlyn’s discomfort at the idea.

“Ok, enough talk about my mom having sex” the keeper whined as she opened the door to the room she was sharing with Whitney for the week. “Seriously, that’s disgusting.”

“Uh-oh, all I heard was the word sex and then your last sentence...I don’t even want to know” Whitney said as she bent over to continue tying her sneakers, only half joking.

“Whit, will you please tell her that my mom is not having sex with Carol” Ashlyn nodded towards the brunette and rolled her eyes as she flopped onto the bed dramatically.

“I was going to ask you about that actually” Whitney started slowly, looking at Ali for guidance on how touchy the subject really was.

“Not you too!” the keeper moaned. “What’s the matter with you guys?”

“I never said it was a bad thing” Ali countered as she sat next to her wife on the bed.

“She looks happy” Whitney added. “Why, are they, like, dating?”

“No they’re not dating. And they’re not fucking either, for God’s sake” Ashlyn said emphatically, making the other two women chuckle.

“Me thinks she doth protest too much” Whitney joked and winked at Ali.

“Very funny” the blonde said and stuck her tongue out at her best friend like a five year old.

“Come on, we’re going to be late for dinner” the defender stood up and moved towards the door. “Are you eating with Tammye and Carol Al?” she asked innocently.

Ali cracked up and poked her wife in the ribs until she sat up. “No, they’re busy” the brunette giggled. “And probably already eating.” 

Everyone in the family had been shocked to learn about the relationship. It was so obvious in retrospect, all the times Carol had been there for family events, or had picked up or dropped off Tammye for holidays. She had helped with the boat trip for Gram, arranging the boat they borrowed for the day. She had helped save Beth’s florist shop, finding someone to basically volunteer and help man the shop. When Ashlyn started to look back over the previous year, as she sat and waited for her mother in the lobby after team dinner, she saw the many signs that they had all missed while it was happening. Nobody was more surprised by the development than Tammye herself. It was new and fairly tenuous still and not something they wanted to become a hot topic of discussion yet, but the relationship was indeed romantic and fulfilling. After several agonizing fits and starts, Tammye finally managed to tell her daughter that she and Carol were dating. She went on to explain that it had been a true friendship up until August that year and that Carol was a middle aged divorcee just like herself. She hadn’t dated other women before either. She had confessed her feelings to Tammye, telling her that she really wanted to kiss her. 

“And I can’t explain it, but, it just didn’t seem like a bad idea at all. That little voice in my head that used to say ‘no, that’s wrong’ or ‘you can’t do that Tammye’ wasn’t saying anything” she explained quietly. “So she kissed me and that was that. Everything changed.”

They were quiet for a few minutes as Ashlyn took in the new information and processed it along with her previous observations.

“I can’t decide whether to hug you or be mad at you” the keeper said with a soft chuckle as she sat next to her mother on the park bench near the team hotel.

“Well get used to it” Tammye replied with a laugh of her own. “That’s what parenting is all about.”

“I’m really happy for you mom, but what made you realize...”

“I don’t have a lot of answers yet Ash” the older woman explained carefully. “I have way more questions than you can imagine. All I know is that I love her. I don’t understand why or how and I’m not even really sure when” she chuckled at her own words. “I don’t know what to call it even...”

“You just said it mom” the blonde interrupted softly, giving her nervous mother’s hand another squeeze. “It’s love, and it doesn’t matter what form or shape it comes in. You love who you love” she shrugged her shoulders and grinned at her mom.

“So, I have your blessing?”

“You don’t need my blessing. It’s your life and all I want is for you to be happy.” Ashlyn met her mother’s nervous eyes. “Does she make you happy?”

“Very much so.”

“Does she treat you well?”

“Always.”

“I swear to God mom, if she ever hurts you...” anger flashed in the keeper’s eyes.

“I know honey, I know.” Tammye hugged her daughter and felt relief wash over her. “Thank you for being so good about it. I was so afraid you’d be upset with me.”

“Well I think it’s pretty damned ironic after all of the crap you gave me growing up about wearing dresses and being more of a girly girl” Ashlyn laughed as they separated from the hug. “But I’m not upset at all. I’m happy for you. For both of you.”

//

The week after the championship game they were back home enjoying the dogs and the big old house. It had been tempting to stay in sunny southern California for a week of vacation, but the team wasn’t done yet. The Breakers players had their end of season meetings and physicals and for the second year in a row, they used the year-end team party to celebrate Ashlyn’s birthday. They celebrated a lot of things at that party. Tiffany Weimer was retiring, going out on top like every player dreams of. Cat Whitehill, their former teammate, team captain and defensive coach, was leaving too. Her young boys were starting to play sports and she wanted a job with less travel so she could be around more for them. And, of course, they celebrated the championship cup they had just won five days earlier. 

Ashlyn had asked again for, and received, the week off to just be a slug as she called it. She wasn’t depressed this year, but her emotions were still all over the place. It had been a tumultuous year, to say the least. In addition to all the games and trainings and travels and individual workouts with her own trainer, the keeper had hosted two soccer camps that summer. Because of the FIFA window breaks in the NWSL schedule it was easier to do the camps when the kids actually wanted them – during the summer. But Ashlyn had learned from some really smart soccer people, like Ken Krieger, that shorter camps were better than week-long camps. Depending on the age of the kids, the longer camps were too much for them mentally and physically. Ashlyn did three-day camps that involved a weekend day so parents could come watch too. She did one during the June and July breaks in the NWSL and it was a much better solution for everybody involved. Ali hadn’t participated in them other than organizing them and then watching some of them. She would be there to start each day and get the kids checked in and help with the logistics. Once everything was underway she left and went home to keep working on her MBA. She had put off working with Mattie on her love/hate relationship with soccer that year. Once her course work started and Gram passed away it was just too hectic to focus on for the brunette. Mattie had agreed that maybe they should wait until Ali had more time to put the work in to get through the issue.

The following week was Ali’s 8-week check-up. Her ob-gyn had been her doctor since she moved to her small house in Stoneham, after Emily had left her in 2011. One of her colleagues at work had recommended Dr. Comello to Ali and she had been taking care of the brunette for seven years now. She was Ali’s primary care physician so she saw her for everything – basic check-ups, flu shots, annual physicals, as well as all of the fun lady appointments for pap smears, pelvic exams, mammograms, etc. Ali had never felt more comfortable with a doctor before. Dr. Comello, or Patty as she instructed her patients to call her, was really nice and easy to talk to. She was smart and patient and kind and funny as hell. Patty was also severely overweight and that had made the brunette nervous at first. How good could she be if she wasn’t smart enough to take care of herself better than that? Ali ultimately decided that she liked Patty too much to let her own snobbish views about weight get in the way of excellent medical care. Dr. Comello and her wife had two toddler aged little girls that they had adopted from China as infants. The really freaky thing was that they lived in the next neighborhood over from Ali’s house in Stoneham and they bumped into each other all the time. The first time Ashlyn had met her was at the weekly Saturday morning farmer’s market, after spending the night at Ali’s house. Ashlyn had started chatting with her, not knowing who she was, and when Ali came around the corner and saw them together she rolled her eyes and laughed as she approached them.

“Leave it to my girlfriend to find the only other woman for a thousand miles who’s seen my vagina” the brunette joked as she hugged Patty hello.

“Oh I’m afraid it’s my fault” the doctor explained as they separated. “Lucy wiped out the stack of melons” she nodded at the corner of the farmer’s market stand in front of them “and your girlfriend was nice enough to help me put them all back.” She smirked approvingly at Ali as she turned around to look for her daughter again. “I’m Patty” she said, after locating the rambunctious toddler with her eyes, and stuck her hand out towards Ashlyn. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”

The keeper stood there trying to mask the look of confused horror on her face. She had just been told that the nice lady that she had helped re-stack fifteen honeydew melons had seen Ali’s vagina and also had apparently been told about her existence before now as well. And Ashlyn had never once heard the brunette mention Patty anybody.

“Hi, I’m Ashlyn, it’s nice to meet you too” she managed to get out.

“Patty’s my doctor, Dr. Comello?” Ali explained, repeating her name like a question that Ashlyn was supposed to know the answer to.

“Oh” the keeper said slowly, nodding her head as the puzzle pieces fell into place. “Gotcha” she grinned and looked relieved. “Then it’s really nice to meet you doc.”

The eight week appointment was sometimes the first appointment a newly pregnant woman would see her ob-gyn. But Ali had gone to see Patty for the four week appointment too. She wanted to be sure she was doing everything right and taking the right pre-natal vitamins and all of that stuff. They wouldn’t be able to hear the baby’s heartbeat until the twelve week appointment. And the ultrasound with the picture didn’t happen until week sixteen or week twenty. But Ashlyn stood there and held Ali’s hand while Patty examined her and tested all of her vitals. They joked almost the whole time.

“See, now I told you to use protection, how many times have I told you to be careful?” Patty teased.

“I know, I know” Ali played along with a grin. “I have nobody to blame but myself. Whatever will I do?”

“Well, my prescription is to have this beautiful baby and try to live happily ever after with your hag of a wife” the doctor scrunched up her face and motioned towards the blonde.

“Ok, if I must” the brunette pulled Ashlyn’s hand to her lips and kissed it.

“Honestly, you know, I think it’s kind of a blessing that the baby doesn’t have both your genes.” Patty was more serious, knowing it was something they both had really wanted in the beginning but had made their peace with over the past several months. “He or she would just be too damned good-looking for the rest of us to deal with” she smiled warmly at the expectant couple. 

They grinned back at her, appreciating her kindness.

“So, besides the morning sickness, are there any other symptoms you’re having in the last four weeks?”

“Umm” Ali thought for a minute and then her mental list came back to her. “I’m feeling kind of bloated, but I figure that’s just because there’s a baby taking up room in there, right?”

“Yes and no” Patty chuckled. “Your body is producing extra of everything for the baby. So you’re carrying around more water, more blood, more urine, more everything. All those extra fluids are going to make you feel bloated. Be careful of your rings” she nodded at the brunette’s wedding and engagement ring set. “Watch your fingers and if they start getting too big take your rings off and wear them around your neck or something. You don’t want to have to cut them off a really swollen finger.”

Ali’s eyes were wide and she gripped Ashlyn’s hand tighter.

“That won’t happen for a while though, right doc?” Ashlyn asked, hoping to calm her wife down.

“Right, I’m just letting you know earlier rather than later. I know how you hate surprises” she chuckled at her nervous patient. “Anything else?”

Ali didn’t answer right away and Ashlyn wasn’t sure if she was forgetting things because she was anxious or if she was embarrassed. She found it hard to believe that her wife could be embarrassed about anything in front of Patty. She had never seen Ali so at ease with anyone before.

“She wakes up every morning and throws up for a good fifteen minutes. That started about a week ago. 8am sharp” the keeper offered. “Then again at 9:30am and usually again at 11am. It’s like clockwork.”

Dr. Comello took notes into her electronic tablet as Ashlyn listed off the changes in her wife over the past four weeks.

“She can’t stand the smell of eggs or cinnamon. She won’t eat onions or cooked carrots anymore. But raw carrots are still ok. She pees a lot more often, but that makes sense with the extra fluids you explained about. She’s tired a lot more now and, uh, her breasts are really sensitive” the blonde finished and blushed a little bit. “Is all of that normal? I know it says it’s normal in the books I’ve read but...”

“Yes, it’s all perfectly normal” Patty assured, looking at them both and smiling again. “If anything happens that seems extreme just give me a call. But all of that is well within the realm of safe and normal pregnancy symptoms. Just be glad it’s cinnamon she hates and not mint” she continued with a chuckle. “I had a patient once who wouldn’t kiss her husband if he even remotely smelled like mint. Poor guy spent days trying to find toothpaste that didn’t leave his mouth smelling fresh and minty.”

They all laughed and Patty made a few more notes in her tablet and reminded them to schedule their twelve week appointment before they left. Ali cleared her throat and Dr. Comello looked up again.

“What about sex?” the brunette asked sheepishly. “Are there limits? Is there a deadline for when we’re supposed to stop altogether? None of the books really talk that much about it.” The couple both blushed as they waited for the doctor to answer.

“The rule about sex is to do what your body tells you to do. If it feels ok then do it. If it doesn’t feel good then don’t. I know it’s not always that simple, especially when there are feelings that can get hurt and things like that” she smiled again at the uncomfortable pair. “The fact is that the baby is up in your uterus” she rolled her chair over to a poster on the wall that showed a woman’s reproductive organs in both front and side views and pointed at the uterus. “Whatever you do down here” she pointed to the vagina “won’t impact the baby at all. So don’t worry. Especially not now. When you’re farther along and there’s less room in here” she moved her hand around the whole lower abdomen area on the poster that included the vagina, bladder, and rectum, “because your baby has taken up a whole lot of space, you’ll probably find some things you normally do to be a little uncomfortable.”

They stared back at her, eagerly waiting for her to continue.

“Like, maybe instead of the gigantic King Kong dildo, or whatever they’re calling those ridiculously big toys these days, you go with something more slender. At least while you’re fighting for room in there” she winked and chuckled again when she saw how red both of their faces were. “Ok, I’m sorry, I’m not trying to scare you. Let’s see” she paused, thinking, “maybe two fingers instead of three” she waited to see if she was getting through to the nervous couple. “Or one finger instead of two. The point is, you’re not going to hurt the baby so don’t worry about it. As long as it feels good, go ahead and do it. The only thing you really need to be careful about is to make sure anything that goes inside you is clean. You don’t want to get an infection of any kind if you can help it. Ok?”

“Yeah” Ali said hesitantly. “Thanks.”

“Ali, listen” Patty wheeled back over to the examination table where Ali was sitting up, still holding her wife’s hand. “Just relax. Try not to get too worried about anything. I know that’s kind of your achilles heel so that’s going to be a real challenge for you. But I know you can do it. And when it comes to sex just try not to think about the baby. Sex is good for your body, and that’s no different when you’re pregnant. Some of my patients have told me that their sex drive goes through the roof with all of the hormones raging around while they’re pregnant. Just enjoy it if you’re one of the lucky women who fall into that category” she chuckled and patted Ali’s knee. “You’re going to do great kiddo. During pregnancy and afterwards. I have no doubt in my mind.”

//

That weekend Ali took Ashlyn away for a surprise getaway as a belated birthday surprise. She had to share her wife’s actual birthday with the team’s year-end party the week before so she had to move her plans out a week. She had booked an adults only spa suite at a fancy resort hotel on Cape Cod for a four-day weekend. It was in Chatham, on the south side of the Cape, right at the bend or the elbow of the Cape. It was technically a golf resort but that was not why the brunette had selected it. She chose it because the large spa building and the six large spa suites above it were all brand new. The suites were gorgeous and they had big hydrotherapy tubs and steam or sauna bathrooms. You could go downstairs for any spa treatment you could think of or you could book the spa treatment in your own room. Ali had her eye on a couples massage. She had never done one and always wanted to try it. It was late enough in the season where they weren’t really booked up so Ashlyn could pick from quite a few treatment choices once they got down there. There were four different restaurants on the property, each one a different scale and atmosphere. And they were all supplied by a huge organic farm a few miles from the property. Between the fresh fish and the farm fresh everything else, the dining was supposed to be unbelievable. Ali wouldn’t tell her wife where they were going until they turned onto the road that had the property’s name on it and she could no longer keep it a secret. They checked in Friday afternoon and Ashlyn couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

“This place is amazing” she enthused as she looked out the windows of their small suite. “I can’t believe you did this honey” she turned to look at her wife who was sitting in one of the comfortable leather armchairs admiring the blonde. “Thank you Al. I love that we’re here.”

They spent an hour looking through all of the things the resort had to offer and then made their dinner reservation for later that evening. They took the golf cart assigned to their room for a spin around the property and tried to take it all in. The word sprawling didn’t quite do the trick. There were small cottages you could rent and a massive ‘main’ building where most of the hotel rooms were located. Then there were five or six buildings down by the water. One was for all the water sports, machines and equipment you could rent. Another was for all the beach chairs and towels you could ever need. One was for chartering your own fishing boat, sailboat or guided tour boat. And another was the restaurant they had chosen to dine at that evening. It was right on the ocean, on the pier itself, and it wasn’t as fancy as the five-star restaurant in the main building but it was the one that the brunette knew Ashlyn would pick first. 

It was cool on October 26th. The high temperature was usually only around 60-65 degrees that time of year. If the sun was on you it could feel a lot closer to 70 degrees, but if it was cloudy it felt more like 55 degrees. And it was chilly at night, down in the mid 40’s on a really cool night and up to low 50’s on a more temperate night. The sun rose just after 7am and it set around 5:30pm. They wore jeans and long sleeves during the day with sweaters or jackets in the evenings. There was a fireplace in their room and they planned on using it every night. The tent-like cabanas that you could rent on the private beach would probably not get used much that weekend, even though they both wanted to try them. They came with anything you needed or wanted, including food and beverage service or some of the spa treatments right there on the beach.

For their first night they went for a walk on the beach at sunset, avoiding the chilly water and bundling up. Dinner at that oceanside restaurant came next and Ashlyn swore the fish tasted fresher because she could hear the ocean under her feet as they ate. They broke one of the biggest fake childhood rules ever and went for a swim right after dinner in the outdoor, heated pool just below the large main building. It was halfway between the main building and the beach and you could see the ocean as you swam or floated or bobbed. When they were relaxed and not feeling quite so full they dried off, put their plush spa robes back on and drove their golf cart back up to their room. A pretty awesome day was capped off by some delicious sex in front of the fireplace. The room was pretty modern for a beachside resort in New England. There was a wall that jutted halfway through the room with a double-sided fireplace in it, not quite in the middle of the room. The wall divided the space into the living and sleeping area, which took up two/thirds of the room, with a king size bed, dresser, tv, desk and chair, and two comfy leather armchairs, and then the bathroom in the remaining third. The bathroom area had a big section of windows looking out at the ocean with a huge, two-person soaking tub underneath them. The toilet closet was behind a door for privacy, and behind another door was the huge shower and sauna/steam room combination, but other than that the whole room was open. Just the half length wall defined the spaces. There was a deck on the other side of the bathroom wall with the windows where they planned to eat breakfast in the morning. The fireplace was electric so they just had to flip a switch when they returned to their room that night. Ashlyn said it was cheating but Ali loved how easy it was to have a nice, warm, romantic fire heat up the room so quickly. After round one they lay on top of the comforter they had thrown down in front of the fireplace and lazily caressed each other. Ali would have killed for a glass of wine. Between giving up wine in the evenings and restricting herself to one big cup of coffee in the morning, the brunette was missing several of her favorite things. And she had seven more months to go before she could have them again, probably more if she was able to breastfeed. She was pulled out of her thoughts by her wife’s eager mouth, hungrily making its’ way down her body again. Ali stretched and smirked and silently thanked God for her amazing life.

The mornings were not great, and they both felt bad about it. Ali felt bad because her morning sickness meant she couldn’t really make a lot of plans until almost lunch time so she was holding her keeper back that weekend. And Ashlyn felt bad because the brunette was so miserable and there was nothing she could do to help. It was awful to watch Ali run to the bathroom every ninety minutes and hurl up everything in her stomach. They both hoped Deb was right and that it would stop after the third month. But Ali had planned ahead and told the blonde to bring some painting and drawing supplies with her for the weekend. She was hoping Ashlyn would take advantage of their beautiful locale and spend the morning hours doing something fun or relaxing without her. Of course, the keeper fought the notion. She wanted to stay with her sick wife and hold her hair and help her through the morning sickness, and that’s what she did Saturday morning.

After a huge lunch, Ali was always ravenous after her morning sickness ended around 11:30am, they attacked their first afternoon on the seashore with a vengeance. They took a boat tour out to the outer beach which was part of the Cape Cod National Seashore and only accessible by boat. They wandered around the small chunk of beach listening to their tour guide and learning about one of the most beautiful barrier beaches in the world. On the ride back the boat swung over to the harbor so they could get a good look at two dozen or so harbor seals basking in the warm afternoon sun. A regulation size, 6-wicket croquet court on grass like pristine golf greens, was where they spent the next couple of hours. Ashlyn won the first game and immediately accused her wife of letting her win because they were celebrating her birthday. Ali swore she would never do that, which was the truth. When the keeper won the second game too she knew Ali was telling the truth. There was no way she would have thrown both games. Ashlyn was thrilled with her victories but didn’t have the heart to gloat. She could see that the brunette was ticked off about losing twice in a row and didn’t want to rub it in.

Instead of taking a nap, which was something they both wanted to do, they went on one of the scheduled nature walks around the perimeter of the property. It was a beautiful day and they didn’t want to waste the warmth. Tomorrow was supposed to be cooler and they could nap then. It was Saturday night and there was dinner and dancing in the fancy restaurant in the enormous main building. They got dressed up and enjoyed one of the best meals of their lives. There was definitely something to having an organic farm just down the road providing you all of your produce. Even the brussel sprouts were delicious, and Ashlyn hated brussel sprouts. 

“You look so beautiful tonight” Ashlyn said as she held her wife in her arms on the dance floor after dinner. 

“Thank you honey” Ali kissed her cheek sweetly. “So do you. I love this new blazer” she complimented as she ran her hand across the subtle two-toned light brown garment. It made her eyes look more green than usual. “Are you having fun?”

“I’m having the best time” the keeper grinned and her dimple appeared.

Ali pressed another kiss into the dimple and beamed back at her gorgeous wife. “I am too.”

And it was true, but the brunette was tired. She was surprised that she fit into her dress. She felt so bloated that it was hard to remember that she wasn’t even showing yet. It sure felt like she should be showing. They danced and took breaks for a couple of hours and then went back to their room. Ashlyn unzipped her wife’s dress for her and then went into the bathroom area. Before Ali could even get her dress off she heard the soothing sound of the tub running. There were four different types of bath bombs that were on the windowsill behind the soaking tub when they arrived. The keeper poked her head around the end of the dividing wall.

“’Lemony cocoa butter fizzer’? ‘Soft rosy waters’? ‘Aphrodisiac jasmine soak’? Or ‘Dreamy lavender froth’?” she asked as she admired Ali undressing by the foot of the bed. “And don’t feel pressured to say ‘Aphrodisiac jasmine soak’ ok? I’m pretty tired so you must be exhausted. Maybe we save that one for tomorrow night. What do you think?”

The love that Ali felt for her wife in that moment almost took her breath away. Here it was her birthday weekend and Ali should have been the one catering to her every whim and desire. But Ashlyn was simply the most considerate and kind person she had ever known. Of course she would insist on making Ali as comfortable as possible, above and beyond any of her own needs. And Ali could see her wife’s need all over her face as the blonde stood there watching her step out of her panties, finally naked, by the foot of the bed. 

“Whatever you want Ash” she purred as she started to walk towards the dividing wall, eyes locked on the darkening hazel ones in front of her. “It’s your weekend, your choice.”

Ashlyn gulped and tried to calm her racing heartbeat. “’Dreamy lavender froth’ it is then” she stammered as she backed towards the tub to put the bath bomb into the warm water. “Lavender always makes me think of you because it’s in your nighttime moisturizer” she babbled on, trying to distract herself as she took the rest of her own clothes off.

They sat at opposite ends of the oval shaped tub so the keeper could rub Ali’s tired and slightly swollen feet. They had done a ton of things that day and Ashlyn’s legs were achy too. She loved the way her wife massaged her calves as they soaked. They relaxed into a warm sea of lavender and enjoyed the fire and the music coming from Ashlyn’s phone and portable speakers. What started out as a sexy bath quickly turned into a peaceful and romantic soak and neither of them really minded. Once the keeper sank into the soothing water her libido had simmered down. It helped that she couldn’t actually see Ali’s naked body any more either. By the time they cuddled up together at the same end of the tub they were both too tired to do anything but kiss and caress each other. So that’s what they did and it was wonderful. 

Sunday morning Ashlyn finally agreed to go out onto the deck and paint instead of hanging around while the brunette was sick. She went down and ate breakfast first before coming back up to the room, with some plain toast for her poor wife, to try and paint the glorious view of the harbor from their deck. After another enormous lunch they were excited to start their afternoon of spa treatments and pampering. Ashlyn wanted to skip the sauna, mud-bath, body wrap, hot rocks treatment and whirlpool so she could stay with her wife. Ali tried to convince her to do one or two of those things while she got her manicure and pedicure and light facial treatment. Because she was pregnant, Ali wasn’t supposed to do anything that would raise her body temperature so that eliminated many of the spa’s offerings. She was also supposed to have a certified pre-natal massage therapist give her massages, not just anybody. Dr. Comello, ever the realist, had told them that it wasn’t too important yet but that as she progressed it really did become a big deal. Finally, the keeper agreed to both the body wrap and hot rocks treatments. Their room had its’ own sauna and shower so she didn’t need that from the actual spa. 

Two relaxing hours later they were lying face down, next to each other, naked, on two separate tables, for their first ever couples massage. They wanted to do the massage in their room but because Ashlyn had insisted on the pre-natal massage therapist, they had to have the massage in one of the therapy rooms at the spa. It was a beautiful, relaxing room and the massage was incredible. They held hands the whole time, not caring if anybody thought it was corny or silly. They wanted to feel connected, and they did. One of the most difficult things they had encountered as a couple was not having sex right after the therapists left the room after the massage. Ashlyn later called it a ‘ben wa level of torture’. 

By the time they finished the massage and the cool down period afterwards, it was just after 4pm. They had reserved a private sailboat ride around the harbor to watch the sunset and they had to be on board at 5pm. So sex would just have to wait. They bundled up, not even showering because they didn’t want to deal with wet hair out on the cold water, and made it to the sailboat just in time. They tried not to rush too much so they wouldn’t undo all of the relaxation from their spa afternoon. They snuggled up together on the bow, wrapped up in warm blankets, with winter hats and scarves around them and enjoyed an amazing sunset. It had been cloudy earlier in the day but the sky was clear that evening. It was just beautiful and they forgot all about their oiled up bodies and what they wanted to do with them for the hour they were on the water watching the sky change colors. The captain just stayed in the cockpit and sailed the small sailboat. He knew the drill. This wasn’t his first romantic sunset sail. Their cheeks and faces were cold in the wind but the rest of them was warm and happy.

One of the other restaurants was the destination that evening for dinner. Nicer than the oceanside one from Friday night but nowhere near as fancy as Saturday night. This one felt more like a pub, but bigger and lighter. It was located inside the enormous main building and it was busy. After their quiet afternoon in the spa and the romantic, secluded sail around the harbor, the hustle and bustle of a busy restaurant was a shock to their systems. If they were going to do it again, they would have switched the oceanside restaurant for the pub. But the food was good and they adjusted to their environment eventually. Not for long though. As soon as they were finished eating, splurging for dessert to celebrate Ashlyn’s birthday finally, they retreated to their room for another cozy, romantic evening. After almost zero physical activity that day they were both more than ready for some action that night. They started with a shower to get rid of all the oils from their massage and the salt from their time on the ocean. That, of course, led to the hottest shower sex they had ever had. The shower was also a sauna so there were comfy benches and grab bars that made everything a lot easier and more fun. Ashlyn came twice before they even got near the fireplace or the bed. They felt a stronger connection than they could remember, since probably their wedding night. The day had been perfect for them, so intimate and relaxing. Even though their skin had been touched for almost an hour by the massage therapists, it was still exhilarating to feel their own hands all over their bodies. Nothing ever felt like that. They made love for hours that night, finally getting into the tub together to soothe tender skin and ease sore flesh. It was the best kind of pain though. Hard-earned and deliciously deserved. It was the kind of night that both women would relive over and over again until the next time they could escape to make a new memory. It was all they thought about the next afternoon as they drove home, quiet and satisfied and happy.


	42. Our First Thanksgiving

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok friends. I'm posting the last four chapters of Part 3 now. I can't help it. They're done and there's no need to torture you any more with one chapter at a time. I do that so I can make sure to finish ahead of you so there are no chapter droughts.  
> Thank you for taking the ride with me, again, and always being so supportive and kind.  
> Part 4 is in process. Baby Krieger is a coming for sure. It's not going to happen for a little bit because I haven't started writing it out yet. But it's definitely in the works.

November brought with it the seasonal change as usual. In New England, October could be a number of different seasons, sort of like April. It could feel like winter one day and summer the next. But November was always cold and Fall-like. The leaves were already gone but the holidays weren’t quite upon you yet. It was invigorating. Ashlyn stored all the summer beach gear in the back of the garage and made sure the lawn mower was tuned up for next year before storing it back there too. She had done a lot of reading about pregnancy and what Ali was going through and experiencing and she asked the brunette all the time to describe what it felt like. The keeper wanted to be as big a part of the experience as she could. She cleaned the house until it was spotless. She did more laundry than she could ever remember doing in her life. She kept the refrigerator and pantry stocked and even had back-up provisions in the freezer. She tended to the house and had George come and make sure the roof was in good condition and hired someone to clean the gutters and keep them working well. She was a woman on a mission the two weeks after their romantic escape to Cape Cod. Ashlyn realized, after some reflection and a walk on the beach with the dogs, that she was nesting. The books didn’t talk about the father-to-be doing any nesting and it confused the blonde.

“Well, you’re not the father-to-be honey” Ali offered one evening while they ate dinner. “You’re a mother-to-be and you have all those same maternal instincts that I do. Your hormones aren’t out of whack and your body isn’t changing but you’re still an expectant mother.” She explained it like it was the most logical thing in the world. “It makes perfect sense to me.”

“But I’ve been reading everything like I was the dad” Ashlyn countered. “Because I’m not the pregnant one.” She stopped and chewed for a few minutes, feeling her wife studying her. “I never thought about it like I was the mother.”

“The books weren’t written for us babe. I mean, I feel a lot of the things they talk about for the expectant fathers to feel too.”

“Like what?”

“Like worrying about providing for my family and keeping them safe, wondering if the baby’s going to change us, you know, the way we love each other...”

“What does that mean?” the blonde tilted her head and frowned.

“Oh,” Ali paused, trying to get up the courage to admit one of her deepest fears. “Um, I’m afraid you’ll love the baby more than me” she blushed and looked down, embarrassed at how silly it sounded when she heard her own words.

“Ali, honey” the keeper reached across the small kitchen table for her wife’s hand. “I can’t believe you actually said that out loud” she said gently as she rubbed her thumb across the back of Ali’s hand. “I’ve been thinking the same thing but I’ve been too afraid to bring it up.”

The brunette lifted her face and looked disbelievingly at her sweet keeper. “You have?”

“I definitely have” Ashlyn assured. “It seems so silly, like it’s just impossible” she paused, still a little anxious to be having the conversation. “But I feel it and it makes me nervous too.”

They both giggled and squeezed their hands together as they looked at each other for a minute. 

“I love you so much babe and I can’t imagine anything that would make me love anything more than I love you. Not even our baby.”

“It’ll be just a different kind of love, right?” the keeper asked. “It’s not like there’s a finite amount and you have to choose which one of us to give it to.”

“Right” Ali agreed with a warm smile.

“I feel the same way.” Ashlyn grinned at her wife and felt relieved. “I’m so glad we talked about this. Thanks for always being brave enough to bring up the hard stuff.”

“Thanks for making me feel safe enough to do it.” 

//

Ali could see the light at the end of the tunnel in terms of her MBA too. She had received more credits than she thought she would for her ‘life experience’ starting and running Knight-Harris. If she could push hard through November she should be able to take her final exams in mid-December and be done. She didn’t want to get ahead of herself, but she knew in her heart that she was going to do everything humanly possible to make that happen. She laid it all out for her wife and Ashlyn was completely on board with the plan. Ashlyn was prepared to pick up any slack for the brunette. The keeper was in kind of a funny spot at the company. She had more time right then and wanted to help out, especially so Ali could concentrate on her course work. But Ashlyn wasn’t really sure what she could do at K-H anymore. Jared and Marcy handled all of the daily activities. They kept Ali, Jen, Paige, Hilary and Ashlyn moving in the right direction and asked each person to do what was needed. The blonde couldn’t do Jared’s job or Ali’s job. She could probably do most of Marcy’s job answering phones and spreading information around the company as it came in or was needed. When she reported for duty to Jared he thanked her and told her to just keep doing what she was doing with her social media and appearances. She was the best advertisement the company had and they all recognized it. As she left the garage and walked back across the driveway she felt an odd mixture of pride and self-pity.

The major coup for Knight-Harris in 2018 was Julian Edelman convincing his agent to join the company. That was huge for K-H and everybody knew it. He wasn’t a superstar agent and he wasn’t famous, but he was a real, experienced, talented sports agent who specialized in the NFL. Julian’s agent brought with him five NFL players and two MLB players as well. That was an unexpected but most welcome development that helped the company bankroll the health and benefits package that they rolled out earlier in the year. By the end of the year the business was well-established and had proven that it was here to stay. It was going to be time to start looking for a bigger office soon. Very soon.

//

The pregnancy continued to be fairly smooth, considering the incredible changes that were going on inside Ali’s body. She hadn’t developed any new symptoms and her existing ones didn’t seem to be getting too much worse. The bloating was a constant annoyance and the morning sickness was just a complete pain in the ass. Ali had gotten to the point where she stayed in bed most of the morning just so she could be close enough to the bathroom. She would wake up and run to the bathroom at 8am sharp, just like Ashlyn had described to Dr. Comello. Then again at 9:30am. She was worried about her ulcers coming back so she waited until she was all done throwing up, her third and final trip done usually by 11:15am, to have her cup of coffee for the day. She was careful to eat some plain toast with it so the caustic beverage wasn’t sloshing around in her empty stomach. Somehow, she had found a way to study around her three trips to the bathroom every morning. The real difficulty had been teaching her brain to work before caffeine. That might have been the hardest thing of all. 

//

Ali was determined to host Thanksgiving that year. They had been trying to host a holiday for two years in a row and had failed every single time. Ashlyn tried to talk her out of it, explaining that she needed her rest and the family knew she was pregnant and nobody expected them to host a big holiday that year. But the brunette was adamant. Her argument was that it was better to do it this year than it would be next year. By the time next year’s holidays rolled around they would both be exhausted from trying to keep up with a, hopefully happy and healthy, six month old baby. The keeper had to admit her wife’s reasoning was sound on that one. So Thanksgiving that year it was.

“Well then I need to show you something” Ashlyn walked into the living room and put her laptop down on the coffee table in front of her wife.

Ali frowned in confusion and leaned forward to look at the dark picture on the screen. She expanded the picture with her fingers and zoomed in for a better view.

“I found the dining room table but I was going to wait until after the baby” the keeper explained. “But if we’re hosting Thanksgiving I want it to be on our real dining room table.”

“Geez, do you hate my table that much?” Ali asked, half-teasing and half-serious.

“You know I love your dining room set, but it’s just not right in that room.”

Ashlyn was right and Ali knew it. The table and chairs were nice but they were a lighter cherry and they looked out of place in the dining room with its’ dark wood built-ins and woodwork. The only light wood in the whole room was the occasional, medium-light maple floor board that was mixed in among the dark walnut ones. The table that Ashlyn was showing her now was darker but not all one type of wood. It was a mixture of different shades and types of boards it looked like. The perimeter edge around the top of the table and the thick, heavy legs were all the same, solid dark wood. It looked like maybe walnut or mahogany to Ali but she couldn’t be sure from the picture. It was big and solid and it would seat ten people.

“It’s made of recycled boards from old ships!” The excitement in her voice was matched by the light in her eyes as she described the table she had spent three years looking for. “See, each board across the top of the table is different” she pointed to the blown-up picture on the laptop screen. “Most of the wood is from salvaged shipwrecks off the Atlantic Coast. The company is up in Portland, Maine but they salvage all up and down the New England and Mid-Atlantic coast.”

“Ashlyn, are you telling me that some of this wood could have come from one of the ships your grandfather worked on?” the brunette asked, her own excitement rising.

“There’s no way to know...”

“But still” Ali interrupted, too excited to hear her wife’s rational explanation about the astronomical odds of one of the boards on their table actually coming from one of the many ships Grandpa John had helped build over his lifetime. 

“Yeah” Ashlyn squealed and her whole face lit up. Persey wagged her tail from her spot next to Ali on the couch. “Some of the wood in our table could have come from one of Grandpa’s ships. Or the chairs! I want to get the chairs too” she added breathlessly.

And that was how the big old house finally got its’ real dining room table and chairs. Getting the set delivered before Thanksgiving was no small feat. The keeper offered or threatened, depending on how you looked at it, to rent a truck and drive it up herself and pick the set up. It was a small, family run company and when Ashlyn explained her story and why she needed the right table for their first Thanksgiving, the man on the other end of the phone relented and agreed to have it ready for delivery the day before Thanksgiving. Ashlyn offered to pay extra for the express delivery but he said it wasn’t necessary. He just had to pull a couple of strings but that was ok because he was the owner of the company and he could do that. 

It turned out that the driver of the truck that made the delivery and helped her load the new table and ten chairs into the dining room was the same, kind man. The owner of the company. He and Ashlyn talked as they worked and before long they were sitting at the new table having a beer while the keeper explained the history of the house and her grandfather’s love for it. He gave her his best advice about applying a heat protective clear coat to the top of the table so nothing would stain or burn it. On the way out he asked for a quick tour which she was only too happy to oblige. He was one of the nicest people Ashlyn had met since moving up to New England and she felt an odd connection to him for some reason. She chalked it up to sharing the same passion for history and old ships as they made their way back downstairs. Who knew, maybe their grandfathers knew each other or something weird like that.

“I finally know where I recognize you from now” he grinned and nodded his head. “You’re the soccer player who helped the old lady finish the marathon last year.”

“Yep, but Marjorie did all the hard work. I was only there for the last measly mile” she admitted modestly. 

“Wow, my daughter’s going to be so mad she didn’t come with me today” he chuckled as they got to the mudroom. “She loves you. She loves everybody on the national team.”

“Oh yeah,” Ashlyn smiled, not bothering to correct him, “who’s her favorite player on the national team?”

“Tobin Heath. She’s twelve and I’m so happy she spends her time playing sports and looking up to you all instead of mooning after some boy on the internet” he shook his head, still smiling. “Man she’s going to be pissed.”

“Well listen, let’s Facetime her and say hi.”

“You would do that?” he asked, surprised and impressed.

“Don, you just made a special delivery, on your day off, to bring me the most awesome dining room set I’ve ever seen. The very least I can do is call your daughter and say hi.”

A half hour later, after getting the girl to calm down enough to actually have some sort of conversation, Ashlyn ended with a friendly goodbye and a promise to get her a signed Tobin Heath jersey.

//

Thanksgiving dinner for eighteen people was not the way you eased into hosting your first big holiday either. If the Scott Kriegers weren’t coming Ali wouldn’t have cared very much because it would have just been her immediate family and step-family. But she wanted to impress her uncle and his family for some reason that she didn’t quite understand. Deb flew in Wednesday morning and Ali picked her up at the airport. They huddled up in the kitchen to finalize their plan for cooking everything the next day and made one last check for ingredients. Kyle also arrived on Wednesday but Nathan picked him up from the train station and drove him up to the big old house in time for dinner that night. Ali didn’t want to know the details of how they spent their time at Nathan’s apartment all afternoon. They were doing the long-distance thing and that was always difficult. Even though it had only been about six months, Kyle and Nathan were trying to talk each other into moving to their city. As much as Ali would have loved for her brother to move back to Boston, she worried that his career would suffer if he did. NYC was such a big city and it had been good to Kyle and it was good for his hairstyling career as well as his Instagramming career. Kyle was also trying to get into film school and NYU had one of the best in the country. Nathan was a pharmacist and that was something that he could do in NYC just as easily as Boston. She was determined to stay out of it and mind her own business. She wanted their relationship to succeed so much that she had to stop herself from meddling all the time. Ali was often tempted to ask Jared about his brother and what he was thinking and how he was feeling about Kyle. 

“You guys should just sleep here tonight” Ali suggested after they all finished watching a movie in the living room that night. It hadn’t been a Hitchcock film because that just reminded everyone of Nico, even though nobody talked about it. They all just knew.

“Are you driving all the way back to the city or just to Ipswich tonight?” Deb asked, concerned, from her comfortable spot in the middle of the couch between her two children. Mother and children were extra snuggly that evening.

“Boston” Kyle answered with a yawn and a stretch, almost lying flat on the couch leaning back into his mother. He reached back and tickled her with both hands above his head and made her howl and back away.

She was practically in Ali’s lap and used it in her own defense.

“Kyle, that’s enough” she gasped out between laughs. “Stop it now.” She tried in vain to block his hands from getting to her sides, but he kept tickling. “Think of the baby!” she yelled in desperation as she giggled and howled some more. “You’re making me squish the baby.”

The dogs were up and involved now. Persey jumped right up onto Deb’s lap while Fred stretched and walked up Kyle’s body from his place next to Nathan, on Kyle’s other side. Persey licked Deb’s face while Fred licked Kyle’s, both wagging their tails eagerly. Ali chuckled as her mom did indeed end up sprawled across her lap. She pushed Persey away from her mother’s face and down towards the instigator of the ruckus – Kyle. 

“Get him doggies” Ashlyn encouraged. “That’s right, you protect the baby no matter what. Get him!”

Nathan finally helped defend his favorite parts of Kyle from being stepped on by two dogs and their flailing paws. As the activity moved more down to that end of the couch and Kyle pulled his hands down to help protect himself, Deb looked up at her beautiful daughter. Her head was in Ali’s lap and the brunette’s hand was on top of her mother’s head as she watched the chaos unfold. She finally felt her mother’s gaze and looked down into the eyes that looked so much like her own. It was still sometimes weird for Ali to see her mom with white hair, but Deb wore it well. She certainly didn’t act like some old biddy with white hair. They smiled at each other and Ali thought she saw worry flash across the older woman’s face. It was fleeting and she wasn’t sure exactly what she had seen.

“We heard the heartbeat for the first time yesterday” she said quietly, still sharing the moment with Deb.

“Oh Alex, that’s wonderful” Deb enthused and squeezed her daughter’s hand. “Isn’t it just amazing? Can you believe that tiny little heartbeat is going to be sitting here on your lap in just six more months?”

“No” Ali sighed with a mixture of contentment and worry. “Six months feels so close but then so far away at the same time.” Her eyes went wide as the list of everything they still needed to get done threatened to take over her mind again. “But it was nice to finally have proof that she’s really in there” she chuckled. 

“How do you know it’s a girl?” Deb sat up quickly and turned to face her daughter. “Are you farther along than three months and you’re just not telling us?”

Ali and Ashlyn both laughed at Deb’s leap in logic and resulting conspiracy theory.

“No, we’re not hiding anything” Ashlyn interjected. “I promise.”

“Relax mom. She’s convinced it’s a girl” Ali explained with a nod at her wife. “So we’re going with that until we hear otherwise. It sounds better than ‘it’.”

Thanksgiving morning found Ashlyn making breakfast for everybody, except her poor wife. Kyle and Nathan made their way down the front stairs following the irresistible combined aromas of bacon and coffee. Deb finished her coffee and looked towards the back stairs.

“You can go keep her company if you want” the keeper suggested with a small smile. “I don’t think she’s studying this morning, and if she is she shouldn’t be. It’s Thanksgiving.”

“Knock knock” Deb said quietly at the top of the back stairs, peeking through the open bedroom door.

“Hi mom” Ali replied softly and put her pen and notepad down on the bed next to her. “Come in.”

“How are you feeling?” she asked as she sat on the edge of the bed next to her daughter. 

It was just after 9am and Ali was sitting up in Ashlyn’s spot because it was closer to the bathroom.

“Ok. I’ll sure be glad when this morning sickness is over” she rolled her eyes and grimaced.

They talked for a few minutes about the list of things to do before the baby that she had been adding to and if Kyle and Nathan had kept the older woman up last night. But as soon as it was 9:30am Ali bolted for the bathroom, bending over the toilet just in the nick of time. Deb followed her in and smiled when she saw the low stool sitting next to the toilet. She sat on it, knowing that must be where Ashlyn sat when she helped her wife with her morning sickness. She reached over and took Ali’s glasses off of her face for her and rubbed her back.

“Thanks” she said a few minutes later as she stood up to rinse her mouth out at the sink. “I don’t always have time to take them off.” She knelt back down knowing she wasn’t done yet, but also that she had a few minutes between bouts. “Are you and Mike ok?” she blurted out gracelessly, finally asking the question that had been on her lips all day yesterday before she had to throw up again.

Deb’s mouth twitched and she looked down at the glasses she was holding for her daughter. She didn’t get to answer the question before Ali threw up again. When she was done she brushed her teeth and moved back to the bed, tugging her mother with her by the hand. She drank a whole bunch of water, it was important to stay hydrated, and then turned on the tv to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade. 

“Oh I remember watching this with you when you were just a little girl” Deb said wistfully as she leaned back against the headboard on Ali’s side of the bed. 

“Me too” Ali agreed with a smile.

They watched the parade for a few more minutes before the brunette tried again.

“Mom, what’s going on? Are you ok?”

Deb picked up the notepad and started looking at Ali’s list as she tried to figure out what to say.

“When we got married, well, right when we even started talking about getting married, I told Mike we would have to re-evaluate things once I became a grandma.” She spoke deliberately as she looked at the list without seeing it. “So that’s sort of what we’re doing now.”

“What does that mean?” the brunette turned to her mother with a mixture of concern and fear on her face. “Is that why he’s not here? Are you guys taking some time apart or something?”

“No, not really” she started and sighed. “He wanted to see his kids for Thanksgiving and I wanted to see mine” she shrugged. They were quiet for a few minutes before Deb spoke again. “It’s nothing for you to worry about baby girl” she turned her head and smiled at her daughter. “You’ve got enough going on in your head” she picked up the notepad with the long list on it and waved it around. 

“Are you guys fighting because of the baby?”

“Alex, honey, it’s not really about you or the baby or Kyle or even Mike’s kids. We’ve been married for eleven years now and our lives have changed and are changing and we have to figure out how to change along with each other. That’s all.”

Ali quirked her eyebrow in challenge.

“And, yes, maybe the fact that I told him I wanted to come and stay up here this summer after you have the baby...maybe that has something to do with why he’s not here right now” she finally admitted.

“Oh mom...”

“Oh it’ll be ok” Deb smiled reassuringly at her daughter. “We’ll figure it out. We’re just not there yet is all.”

When they had told their families about the pregnancy back in September both Deb and Tammye offered to come and stay for a while to help the new moms get through the tough first few months with the new baby. Deb would be off on school vacation so it would be easy for her to come up and stay for the whole summer. Tammye would only get her two weeks of vacation to use. But they had both gushed about how excited they were and looking forward to that special time.

“You don’t have to come this summer you know” the brunette said quietly, even though what she really wanted was for her mom to move in with them permanently.

“Sweetheart, wild horses couldn’t keep me away from this house this summer” she chuckled. “So you’re going to have to be honest with me and tell me when it’s time to go home.”

“What if I don’t ever want you to go home?” she sounded like a young girl again.

“Then I think both Mike and Ashlyn might have a problem with that scenario.”

They both laughed and hugged and then watched the parade for a little while longer before Ali had to throw up again. When she was finally done with her morning torture they went back downstairs to get all of the cooking under way. Ali sat at the table with her cup of coffee and barely buttered toast that her sweet wife had prepared for her. 

“Tell me when you’re ready for lunch hon” Ashlyn winked from her spot at the sink where she had just finished washing all of the breakfast dishes. 

Ali smiled gratefully at her wife and tried to imagine what their life would be like when their children were grown up enough to make them decide where to spend holidays. She imagined a fair, rotating schedule and couldn’t think of a reason that it wouldn’t work. Before her mind could wander too far down that path she was interrupted by her mother rallying the troops for kitchen prep. They had a lot of work to get done before they would be ready to serve Thanksgiving dinner late that afternoon. 

When it was finally 5pm they all sat around the big new dining room table and the nook in the back of the family room. Ali hated that they couldn’t all be at the same table, but what could she do? The dining room table sat ten people and the other eight crowded around the nook table and everyone seemed perfectly happy with the arrangement. Sydney, Cash, Dom and Sandi arrived just after dinner and stayed for dessert and a nice visit. Little Allie, now seven years old, would not leave baby Cash’s side and he loved the attention. Persey and Fred ran around with Boss and Ali and Ashlyn were sorry to hear that Ken had left Apollo at home because he had trouble getting in and out of the car these days. He was a big, huge great dane and their life expectancy was about seven to ten years, on average. Apollo was already almost nine so nobody was surprised that he was slowing down. Ashlyn promised herself she would bring the dogs up to visit their big, sweet cousin the following weekend.

Since they had made it through their twelve week check-up and everything seemed to be going well with the pregnancy, the happy couple decided to tell their guests their wonderful news. The Scott Krieger family was surprised but supportive. Ali felt bad because she knew that her cousin Jeff and his wife Vivian had been trying to get pregnant for a few years. She wasn’t sure exactly what methods they had tried but if they had any doubt about artificial insemination being a possible answer, well, there were two lesbians who had gotten themselves pregnant sitting right there to vouch for it. Sandi Leroux squealed with delight when she heard the news. 

“Oh Deb” she enthused as she looked at one of her closest friends in the world, “we always hoped they’d have babies at the same time.”

“We sure did” Deb agreed with a bright smile. “We’re all so lucky.”

“Why don’t you let me take over” Ken asked as he stood next to Ashlyn at the sink an hour later. “From what I hear, you’ve been at it from the crack of dawn today.”

“No thanks” she gave him a warm and appreciative smile, “but you’re welcome to help if you really want to.”

“You know, the secret with Alex” he lowered his voice several minutes later after they had gotten all the idle chit chat out of the way, “is you have to give her just enough to keep her busy or her mind will just kick into overdrive and take off.”

Ashlyn chuckled. “You’re right, but it’s easier said than done” she shook her head and grinned. “That list of hers just keeps getting longer the more she looks at it.”

“Exactly.”

“What do you suggest?” she asked, looking over her shoulder and then towards the back stairs to make sure nobody could overhear their conversation.

“Well it was always easy for me because I could just tell her to go practice a certain technique until she could do it ten times in a row, perfectly.” He continued as he picked up the last pan and started to dry it. “She was always so good that it didn’t take her too long, but certainly long enough to occupy her mind and body for a few hours.”

“Ok...well she’s working really hard to get her course work done so that’s usually what she focuses on” the keeper offered lamely.

“But it’s not working right now, hmmm” he thought for a minute. “Maybe her brain’s burnt out. Maybe that’s part of the problem.”

They both thought hard about what might occupy Ali’s brain but not really tax it. They finished with all of the dishes and Ken followed his daughter-in-law outside to the other side of the garage with the bag of recycling to go next to her bag of trash.

“How about something sort of mindless for Knight-Harris?” he finally asked. “I know you guys have employees now to do a lot of the more boring, day to day things...”

“Yeah, but that’s perfect” Ashlyn exclaimed quietly. “I’ll just tell her they need her help and ask her if she can fit it in with her work load. I’m sure there’s some mailing list that needs updating or some photos that need cataloguing.” She beamed at Ken. “Thank you so much” she hugged him and he held on a little longer than usual.

“Any time Ash.” He released her but kept his hand on her bicep. “I know today must have been tough for you and I just want you to know that if you ever want to talk about it, or get together and not talk about it, I’m always here for you.” His voice got emotional and he had to clear his throat to continue. “I love you and I’d do anything for you. I hope you know that.”

Ashlyn smiled and held it together for as long as she could before she burst into tears and buried her face in his chest. He held her and patted her back slowly and gently as they stood outside the garage in the cold November evening. Ken Krieger had been there for Ashlyn all year long. He had gone out of his way to check in on her and to make sure she knew that he was thinking of her and rooting for her and loving her. He did for Ashlyn, on a less dramatic level, what Kyle had done for Mike Harris all year. The day had been so hectic that the blonde hadn’t had a lot of time to dwell on how much she missed Gram or the fact that it used to be her favorite holiday. Ashlyn had been grateful for all the chores that needed doing that day so she could keep herself busy. It hadn’t been until Becky Krieger had brought up at the dinner table how sorry they all were to hear about Gram’s passing that the keeper needed to really will herself to get through it. Ali and her father had exchanged perturbed and annoyed looks at Becky’s ill-timed, but well-meant words. Ali was too far away from her wife to be able to do anything, they were at opposite heads of the new table like official hostesses, but Deb reached for the blonde’s hand from her seat next to her and squeezed it tight. Ken had managed to change the subject to the Patriots and how Scott and his sons thought the team looked that season but the damage was done. It wasn’t until dessert when they shared their pregnancy news that the light returned to Ashlyn’s eyes.

“Ugh, I don’t know what happened there” she pulled back and tried to wipe the tears from her face as she caught her breath. “I’m so sorry Ken.”

“Nobody’s better at swallowing their feelings than me kiddo, and trust me, it’s never the right thing to do” he chuckled as she wiped her face. “Today has been one hell of a day for you. The highest high to the lowest low and probably everything else in between.”

She stopped and looked up at him, surprised that he had just accurately described the emotional day she had experienced to a T. 

“I just want you to know that you’re not alone. That it’s ok to feel whatever you’re feeling. And that you should try and talk about it. Your whole life is changing and it can get scary as you wait for your first child to be born. I remember it well.” He chuckled again and rubbed both her arms. “And I know you’re worried about giving her anything extra to think about or worry about, but you and I both know...”

“She’ll kill me if I don’t talk to her about everything” she finished his sentence for him and they both grinned.

“You’re both really strong. Everybody knows that. And I know you’ll be strong for her as she gets ready to have the baby.” He paused and waited for Ashlyn to meet his eyes. “But you have to let her be strong for you too.”  
 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a link to Ashlyn's dining room table... but hers has dark, heavy wood legs instead of metal ones as shown on this site.
> 
> http://www.artemano.ca/DATA/PRODUIT_MODELE_IMAGE/3636.jpg


	43. December

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut warning

The week after Thanksgiving Ashlyn brought a pile of neatly addressed Christmas cards to the post office, put holiday stamps on each one and dropped them into the mail slot. Their photo cards that year had a cute picture of Fred and Persey, now two years old, with different santa hats on their heads. The text on the side of the card read:

Merry Christmas and  
Happy New Year!!  
These two can’t wait to  
welcome the new baby in 2019  
and neither can we!  
Love, Ali, Ashlyn,  
Persey & Fred

Ashlyn posted it on her social media too with some extra hashtags: #grateful #futuresoccerplayer #family.

The keeper had one of the worst years of her life personally, aside from the wonderful pregnancy news, and one of the very best years of her life professionally and financially. She had read about things like that happening to other people. All of those platitudes about one door closing and another one opening. But she never really believed in any of that. Ashlyn thought you were given things in life because you worked hard for them, and sometimes, because you were lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time. It was hard to argue against the notion that Gram was up there pulling strings for her talented and hard-working granddaughter. Her endorsements were earning her more money than ever, more than double what she had been making just two years earlier. Umbro, a British sportswear and soccer equipment company, tried to get the keeper to switch over to their brand and leave Nike. They made a more than generous offer that would pay Ashlyn more money than her already lucrative Nike contract would. But she wouldn’t do it. She wanted to stay loyal to Nike. They had given her a chance when nobody else would and she would repay them with continued loyalty. Nike rewarded her loyalty with an even better contract, knowing she might not be able to refuse the next big offer from someone else. Suburu upped its’ sponsorship too and Ashlyn was now the face of the company. There was a life-size cardboard version of the keeper at every Suburu showroom across the country. They had chosen her to go national and signed her up to do three or four road trip videos over the next couple of years. She got to choose the person who would come with her and they would interview each other as they made their way to whatever their destination was. Ashlyn was very excited about that part of the deal and eager to get the first road trip planned out and completed before training camp started in mid-March. She had a ton of ideas about who she wanted to take the trip with. And Go-Pro signed her as one of their athletes and entertainers. She had done a lot of work on her social media accounts with video and had primarily used just her phone to record everything. Now she had three different Go-Pro cameras that she could use to post her videos on Instagram, Facebook, Sqor and the Knight-Harris website.

Ashlyn was in such demand locally that she was turning down most of the smaller endorsement deals because she just didn’t have time to get to them all. This was a high-class problem to have. The best part was that Ali or Jen or Paige or Jerry, Julian Edelman’s agent, were able to turn most of those endorsements over to one of their other athletes. Ali and Jen had spoken mid-way through the year and agreed that they wanted to try and get Whitney some endorsements as soon as possible. She was the team captain and Ashlyn’s best friend and the keeper had talked about her enough on social media and in real media that the local businesses should be ready to sign her up. It had been a mixed bag by the end of the year. As great as Whitney was, she was an introvert who was quiet and shy most of the time. They would keep working to find the right company who could appreciate that aspect of her personality and make it work for them. 

Lifetime TV had taken notice of Ashlyn’s huge fan base and they had seen, firsthand, how much the camera loved her when they had filmed the documentaries and all of the promotional shots for the NWSL last pre-season. They signed her up for another pre-season documentary, along with the other three players from last season and two new ones, but they also signed her for a series of interviews that would take place throughout the season as she travelled to the different teams for the Breakers’ away games. Lifetime TV wanted to show the fans even more about the NWSL players and their lives away from the pitch to try and increase the fanbase. The idea was for Ashlyn and Becky Sauerbrunn, for example, to take two hours and go do something uniquely Kansas City-ish while the Breakers were in town for their away game. Lifetime TV would pick the players. Ashlyn had some input, but the network had final say over who she interviewed and where they went. They wanted Ashlyn to be the one to help them bring these players’ stories to the fans. The hour-long interview and excursion would air on tv before the 4pm match of the week every Saturday during the season.

Julian Edelman did an interview on one of the most popular sports shows in the country. ESPN broadcast it every week and it specialized in tough guys. Julian was well-known for being able to take some of the toughest hits the NFL had ever seen and bouncing right back up again, none the worse for wear. At the end of his interview the hosts asked him to name another athlete that he admired and respected for their toughness. They didn’t have to be well-known or super famous, they just had to be incredibly tough. Julian told the producers that he was going to name Ashlyn and they tried to talk him out of it, saying that nobody would know who she was and that she was playing a female sport and all of that typical bullshit. But Julian held firm. So when he talked about Ashlyn on the show and the producers rolled the footage of some of her toughest plays, a lot of casual sports fan took notice. It was so rare for a female athlete to garner the respect of the male media but Ashlyn was starting to achieve it. Many of her interviewers now asked her why she wasn’t on the national team. The soccer community in general heard rumblings about why US Soccer had abandoned their once child-prodigy. Ashlyn was gracious about it every single time, never once leaving the high road or slipping into self-pity. The 2019 Women’s World Cup was coming up that summer so everybody was talking about the team more than ever. Could they repeat their amazing victory from 2015? Did they have the right players on the team? Was it too late to fire the coach who insisted on playing her players out of position? The Breakers had two full-time USWNT members as of that December, Rose Lavelle and Megan Oyster. Morgan Andrews had been called up to a few camps but hadn’t gotten her first cap yet but was still in the bubble of the national team pool of players. It was an exciting time for Women’s soccer in general and the Breakers were looking forward to the 2019 season so they could defend their championship. Ashlyn had never been happier or more successful with her career and she knew it was more than just her training and skill and hard work as an athlete. Her success was a direct result of Ali Krieger’s desire and talent for making things happen for her. Ashlyn had always said they made the best team and she now had three years of living, breathing proof to back up her claim. She couldn’t wait to see what her wife would do with the company once she could devote her full attention to it, for the first time ever.

//

Christmas invaded the big old house and things felt more like they had the first year Ashlyn and Ali were there together, instead of like last year’s disjointed holiday season. They had made the best of last year down in Satellite Beach with Gram but it was not anybody’s favorite Christmas experience. Ashlyn took on most of the decorating herself so her wife could concentrate on the last two weeks of her MBA program. Ali’s last final was Friday December 14th and it could not come soon enough for either woman. The first two weeks of December were a blur of decorations, well-wishes and congratulations from their baby announcement Christmas cards, holiday shopping, and, of course, studying and exams for the brunette. They found it difficult, again, to make plans for the holidays because they wanted to be in different places at the same time. They decided to go back to what had worked pretty well their first year together. They would spend Christmas in the big old house and celebrate with the Kriegers. Then, two days after Christmas, they would fly to Satellite Beach and spend almost a week with the Harris clan. Then they would drive to Miami and ring in the new year with the Christophers and stay there for a few more days. They were going to Hawaii for the last two-weeks of January for their honeymoon no matter what happened. They had already warned everybody in their lives. The thought of that much-anticipated break was what kept Ali going most days when she thought she would just pass out from all of the things zipping around in her brain as she got closer to her MBA and the baby’s due date.

Ali was enjoying being pregnant, for the most part. She loved the idea of their baby being inside her and relying on her for everything. It was a tremendous responsibility and she took it very seriously. Both she and Ashlyn did. They played classical music for the baby and talked to her all the time. They read to her as much as they could too, although that was tough with Ali’s schedule. More often than not, Ashlyn read to the baby after they were in bed. Ali would fall asleep almost instantly and the blonde would keep reading until she couldn’t keep her eyes open any longer either. They read kids’ books to her and nursery rhymes and one of Ashlyn’s favorites, stories from mythology. Ali did everything she could to eat right and sleep well and take care of her body for their baby. And, aside from the demoralizing morning sickness that plagued her for three solid months, she loved being pregnant. 

Friday December 14th finally arrived and Ali spent the afternoon at her desk up on the third floor. She studied and submitted her last paper for one class and then began her final exam for her very last class. Ashlyn paced around downstairs, anxiously awaiting news from her beautiful brunette. An hour after the exam time had ended, the keeper knew because her wife had been worried about having enough time to complete what she thought would be her most difficult exam, Ashlyn went upstairs to see what was taking so long. She had a bottle of sparkling cider chilling so they could celebrate the end of her grueling, twelve-month journey towards her advanced degree. She turned around and went back downstairs and brought the bottle back up with her, planning another room service surprise, but without the sex because Ali was always wiped out at the end of the afternoon. She came back to life around dinner time, but she was toast before then. She wheeled the converted art cart across the hall and into the open door of the office. She had angled her body and the cart to the left so she could see the desk and, hopefully, her triumphant grad student. But the desk was empty. Ashlyn looked quickly to the couch and her heart melted as a quiet ‘awww’ slipped out of her mouth. Ali was curled up on the couch, to the right of the door, fast asleep. The keeper took a quick picture and then pulled one of Gram’s afghans off the back of the couch to cover her sleeping wife.

“Hey” she mumbled without opening her eyes.

“Hi” Ashlyn whispered softly. “Go back to sleep baby” she whispered as she tucked the afghan around the love of her life.

“Sit with me?” her voice was soft and heavy from sleep as she scooched back to make room for the blonde to sit next to her still small belly.

It had just gotten dark outside and all of the curtains and blinds were still open. The candles in the windows hadn’t been turned on yet either, Ashlyn noted as she ran down the list of things she would do when she had finished comforting and caressing her napping wife.

“What time is it?” Ali opened her eyes with a start and reached for her glasses on the coffee table in front of her.

“It’s almost 4:30pm” the keeper answered calmly. “You’re ok. You’re done. You don’t have any place else to be right now.”

The brunette turned her head to face her wife and blinked her eyes a few times as the beautiful face came into focus for her. She smiled up at Ashlyn and reached for her hand from underneath the afghan.

“Am I really done?” Ali asked, not ready to believe it yet.

“You’re really done” the keeper grinned down at her. “And I’m so incredibly proud of you Ali” she shook her head as her emotions bubbled up. “Damn, I promised myself I wasn’t going to get all cryface about this” she said quickly and looked up to the ceiling to try and keep the tears from falling down her cheeks.

“Aww, you can cry if you want honey. It’s a big fucking deal, if I do say so myself” Ali giggled before getting serious for a minute. “I’m proud of me too and I couldn’t have done any of it without your help and love and support babe. That’s the truth.” It was the brunette’s turn to get weepy. “I don’t know how to thank you.”

They held hands and stared at each other for a few minutes until Ali’s stomach growled. Ashlyn got up and brought the tray from the cart over and put it on the coffee table in front of them.

“You’re probably hungry for dinner but I brought this up to celebrate with you” she explained as Ali sat up and then pulled her wife down next to her on the couch.

“Oh, you’re so sweet to me honey” Ali cooed as she looked at the tray with many of her current favorite things on it. “Is that” she squinted at the bottle in the ice bucket, “sparkling cider?”

“It is” Ashlyn grinned. “Should I open it?”

“Hell yes!” the brunette replied as she popped a piece of black licorice into her mouth and picked up the bowl of sliced peaches with her other hand. “Mmmmmmm...”

“Here’s to the smartest, hardest working, most amazing woman I know” she lifted her glass and clinked it with Ali’s. “Congratulations honey!”

Ashlyn felt a little bad for the small celebration, but Ali didn’t seem to mind. The keeper reminded herself that the real celebration was tomorrow at Niki and Molly’s house after Noah’s third birthday party. She had arranged with Molly and Sydney to throw a very small surprise congratulations party for Ali after their favorite three year old passed out from too much fun at his birthday party. The blonde had ordered a cake, decorated with ‘Congrats Ali!’ and then they were going to enjoy take out BBQ from their favorite spot in Arlington. Several of Ali’s friends were going to be there to help recognize what a huge accomplishment she had just achieved. Sydney had reached out to the usual gang, Jessie, Carm, Liz, Erica and Heather. And Ashlyn had invited Sarah and Erin, the Sporting Chic girls, and the Knight-Harris team as well. Nathan Kimball was coming too. He had explicit instructions from his boyfriend to deliver hugs and kisses and a special card. Not everybody could stay very long because they were all busy with holiday events and obligations, but they were all at least going to make an appearance. Everybody was excited for Ali and couldn’t wait to congratulate her on a job well done.

//

The following week, on Tuesday, was their sixteen week, or four month, check-up with Dr. Comello. This was the appointment they had been waiting for so they could get the ultrasound and finally see their little baby. Patty warned them both, for the third time, that the ultrasound at sixteen weeks wasn’t nearly as good as the one they would get at twenty weeks and that they probably wouldn’t be able to determine the sex based on this one. They nodded their heads quickly and held hands as the ob-gyn spread the jelly on Ali’s lower abdomen and moved the ultrasound device around.

“There we go” the doctor finally said as she moved the device around to get a better view.

“There she is” Ashlyn breathed out and leaned closer to the monitor.

Ali squeezed her hand and started to cry softly, a huge smile on her face.

“That’s our baby” she whispered and smiled again.

After they had looked at the monitor and taken a couple of pictures and spent a good deal of time trying to see if it was possible to tell the sex, they finished with the ultrasound and moved on to the rest of the exam. Ali told Patty that her symptoms were mostly still the same, just a little bit stronger. She was still peeing a lot, tired a lot and bloated a lot. Her breasts were still sensitive and tender and they were starting to get bigger too. Although, finally, halle-freaking-lujah, she had gone four days in a row now without throwing up. The new things were the hormones finally getting to the point where she cried much more easily and had the start of some mood swings. She had the beginnings of a baby bump for the first time too. Ashlyn asked about her wife’s nipples getting bigger too and the doctor explained that it was normal. She also told them that sometimes the areola would get a little darker too and not to be alarmed if they noticed that.

“She gets so nervous about every little thing” Ali teased and squeezed Ashlyn’s hand.

“I wish everybody had a spouse who paid such close attention” Patty replied with a nod towards the keeper.

“I know” Ali looked up at her wife adoringly. “I’m so lucky.”

//

What they didn’t tell the doctor was that as soon as Ali’s morning sickness had stopped, her libido had increased, big time. The poor brunette hadn’t felt very sexy or in the mood for sex the first three months. Between the bloating and the morning sickness and the exhaustion she just wasn’t in the mood very much. She had told Ashlyn what was going on and made sure the sensitive blonde knew it had absolutely nothing to do with her. It was all about her own body. They still had sex, but they almost had to plan for it those first three months. Ali couldn’t be too tired so she started to figure out a plan that they could work with. She would make sure to take an afternoon nap, preferably later in the afternoon when most of her course work was finished. If she didn’t get her work done then she got too tense about falling behind to even make sex a possibility. If she got her work done and had a good nap then she would tell Ashlyn, usually while they were making dinner or eating dinner. ‘I had a good nap’ became their own little code for ‘you’re getting laid tonight’. 

That only happened about once a week so it was quite an adjustment for the couple. Ali always kept her Sundays free from MBA work so she could get caught up on sleep and fun and her wife. After the first frustrating month they tweaked the plan even further and tried to make sure Ali had a good nap earlier in the week so they could spread out the sex and sometimes have it twice a week. That was always their goal but it really didn’t happen that often. To make matters worse, Ali’s body was even sexier to Ashlyn than it had been before her pregnancy started. Her breasts were bigger and Ashlyn never even thought she could possibly care about that. But, man, did that do something to the blonde. She loved Ali’s small, perfect breasts and she would never want them to change. But she couldn’t believe how turned on she was by her wife’s larger, sometimes swollen breasts. It was almost mean though, because they were so tender and sore that the keeper could barely touch them.

There were times when Ashlyn couldn’t stand it and she would need to masturbate. She was on the floor of the bathroom in the middle of the night the first time Ali walked in on her. Ashlyn had woken up from a sexy dream and then the brunette woke up several minutes later to pee and they found themselves staring at each other in the bathroom. The keeper jumped up, embarrassed and frustrated, and got out of the way so Ali could get to the toilet. When Ali got back into bed she rolled over and helped her wife finally get off. When Ashlyn moved to return the favor the brunette just said no thank you and went back to sleep. They talked about it the next day and agreed that if she needed to come that Ali would always help her, if she was awake. But the brunette’s body was just not interested in having her own orgasms during those tough months.

Well her body was sure interested in them now. Ashlyn never knew what hit her those last five months of the pregnancy. It was like Ali was on cold-medicine and horny when she was sick, but, ten times stronger. The brunette didn’t know if it was the hormones or the cut down on the sex for three months prior, but she wanted sex all the time now that she wasn’t puking her guts out every damned day. And she didn’t just want an orgasm for herself. Ali could not keep her hands off of her wife. And forget it if she could see any of Ashlyn’s skin. And really forget it if her skin was wet. And it didn’t matter what time of day or night it was either. The brunette had never been shy about waking her keeper up for sex. They had talked about it and, unless Ashlyn was sick or in too much physical pain from a game, she was a go for middle of the night sex or early morning sex. The blonde always said it was the best way in the world to wake up. Before she was pregnant Ali would at least ease her girl out of her slumber and then into some really delicious feelings and sensations. Not anymore. If she woke up turned on in the middle of the night Ali just took her clothes off and climbed on top of her sleeping keeper. If Ashlyn was lucky she was given a chance to get her own clothes off, but sometimes the brunette was in too big of a hurry and her sleep t-shirt stayed on, bunched up under her armpits. One time they were driving home after dinner at her father’s house and she made Ashlyn pull over and give her an orgasm right there in the front seat. Thankfully it was one of the winding roads through the woods so there was nobody around to see them. But the blonde couldn’t believe it. In what world was her Ali Krieger having sex in public?! It hadn’t been easy either because the brunette was seven months pregnant at the time and there wasn’t a lot of room to move. 

So Ashlyn really shouldn’t have been surprised that Wednesday afternoon, the day after the sixteen week check-up, when her wife straddled her on the banquette bench seat in the nook. They had just finished eating lunch, spending as much time as possible in the festive family room, as usual, at Christmastime. Ali stood up from the chair at the end of the table and climbed onto her wife’s lap, grabbing two fistfuls of her shirt and giving her a passionate kiss. It took the keeper a few seconds to recover from the surprise but then she happily held onto the brunette’s ass and deepened the kiss. She pulled back when she felt Ali start to grind against her and moan. It was just before 1pm and anyone from Knight-Harris could walk through the mudroom door, at any time, to use the bathroom or come looking for either one of them. Not to mention it was broad daylight and they were sitting right in front of a big window looking out onto the backyard. There was another big window on the wall to Ashlyn’s right, but it overlooked the side yard and empty lot and there wasn’t anybody there who would be looking in. Still, if Jared or Marcy walked across the driveway from the garage they could see right in the kitchen windows and kitchen door.

Ali released the blonde’s shirt and moved her hands to her breasts, rubbing and squeezing them through the shirt and her bra. She bent down and worked her lips and tongue along Ashlyn’s exposed collar bone, nibbling and moaning as she ground harder against the keeper’s lap.

“Mmmm, baby, let’s go upstairs” she suggested as she moved her hands up and down Ali’s back.

“I need you to fuck me” she breathed out against Ashlyn’s neck. “Right now.”

She nipped at the soft skin of the keeper’s neck and pinched both of her nipples before moving her hands down to undo Ashlyn’s jeans. The blonde gasped and groaned at all of the sensations. She felt her juices flood her core as her brain registered Ali’s sexy words.

“Fuck...”

“Yeah babe, that’s right” the brunette purred as she got on her knees and pulled her own jeans and panties halfway down her thighs.

“Al, honey...” the keeper started but her wife crashed their lips together in another searing kiss before she could continue.

Ashlyn pulled back after the kiss, panting slightly, and quickly surveyed the room.

“Let’s at least move away from the window” she urged and nodded to her right, to the corner of the nook. They would be out of view, in between both windows there. “Come on.”

Ashlyn pushed the nook table back a few inches and Ali knelt on one knee so the keeper could scoot along the banquette and into the corner.

“Take your bra off, sexy” the brunette instructed seductively. She sat on the banquette and pulled her jeans and panties off as she stared at the keeper and bit her bottom lip. She knelt on the banquette again and reached behind her and undid her own bra. She slipped her elbows out of it, still inside her t-shirt, and dropped it on the banquette as she walked on her knees towards her gorgeous wife. “And your pants.”

“Jesus Al.” Ashlyn’s voice was thick with desire. “You’re so fucking sexy.”

The keeper lifted her hips and let the sultry brunette pull her jeans and boxer briefs down to her ankles. She freed one leg just as Ali settled her wet center on top of her left thigh. The brunette lifted her wife’s shirt up to her neck and brought her lips down to suck a beautiful pink nipple into her mouth, humming loudly against the delicate flesh.

“Mmmmm, you taste so good.”

Ashlyn was done trying to talk her out of it. Ali’s hot, wet core felt too incredible as she ground it against the blonde’s thigh, rocking her hips forward and back in a slow, erotic rhythm. And her mouth was doing amazing things to both of her breasts. Fuck, this was hot. The keeper put her hands on her wife’s breasts and felt her hard nipples beneath her t-shirt. She closed her eyes and let the wave of passion flow through her body as the flush quickly crept up her chest and neck. Ali sat up again, dragging her hot tongue up the keeper’s chest and neck until their mouths met in another deep, passionate kiss. She gasped and pulled back when she felt Ashlyn pinch both of her nipples, hard. The blonde saw her wife’s eyes get even darker as she responded to the stimulation and threw her head back with a loud moan.

“Unnnhhh, fuck!” she yelled out and moved her right hand to her own clit.

Ali circled the sensitive bud slowly as she continued to grind. She brought her left hand down between her keeper’s legs and groaned again when she felt all the juices that had collected there. She smirked when she heard a long, low moan escape Ashlyn’s throat.

“Fuck baby...” the blonde exhaled as she tried to focus her lidded eyes on her gorgeous wife’s face. 

They locked eyes and stared at each other with a hunger and a passion that had been fanned by the excitement of the less than private location of their tryst. It was titillating to have sex in such an indiscreet spot and they both felt it ratcheting up the heat between them. The smell of pine from the Christmas tree right next to the nook and the out of place sweetness of ‘Up on the Rooftop’ playing through the room did nothing to tamp down the lust that was fast approaching the frenzy level. Ashlyn felt like she was about to lose all control as her mind tried to make decisions about what to tell her body parts to do. Her head was swimming. Ali’s nipples were so stiff and hard beneath her hands that the keeper thought they might rip right through their t-shirt cage. She could see that the brunette was even farther gone than she was, if that was even possible. Ali’s head was back and her mouth was open as she slowly rubbed her own clit and ground even harder against the keeper’s leg. Her breathing was heavy and her chest had started to heave. Her left hand moved slowly, almost carelessly through Ashlyn’s folds and teased her opening with taps from her fingertips. Ashlyn leaned forward and took one of her breasts into her mouth, t-shirt and all. She breathed her hot breath onto it and heard her wife moan at the sensation. She bit down on the rock hard nipple, trying to be gentle, knowing they were sensitive, and Ali screamed. At first the keeper thought she had hurt the brunette, but when Ali snapped her head back up straight and opened her eyes there was nothing but desire burning in them. 

Ashlyn couldn’t take it anymore. She pushed her wife backwards so she was laying against the banquette seat and descended on her. She kept her strong thigh between Ali’s legs, and her long fingers on Ali’s swollen breasts. The keeper crashed their mouths together in one of the deepest, hottest, hardest kisses they had ever shared. They were both moaning and groaning so loudly that they couldn’t even hear the Christmas music anymore. Ali was stunned for a second but quickly responded by wrapping her left leg around her wife’s leg and grabbing at her back and ass with both hands, leaving angry red scratches where she clawed at the flesh there. They both gasped for air after the kiss ended. Their eyes met again as they tried to catch their breath in that strange, supercharged, erotic air.

“Fuck. Me. Now.” Ali panted out between big gulps of air, her eyes darker than Ashlyn had ever seen them.

Ashlyn didn’t want to make her wait another minute, but there wasn’t enough room on the banquette for both of them and Ali was lying the wrong way. The blonde wanted to go hard and fast when she finally got inside her wife’s pussy and that meant she needed her right hand. Ali saw the hesitation and frowned in confusion. She reached up with her mouth and sucked at the soft skin of her keeper’s neck before biting down hard.

“Ow!” Ashlyn yelped.

But that’s all it took to spur her on. She leaned back and pulled Ali up with her, almost into their original position. She tensed all of her muscles and then picked her wife up a few inches and pivoted her around so her back was to the corner of the nook, the way Ashlyn had been when they first started their afternoon delight. 

“Oh!” Ali exclaimed at the quick and surprising maneuver.

Ashlyn banged her elbow hard on the edge of the table as she tried to get into position.

“Shit” she muttered and winced but kept on going. 

Ali pulled at her, wanting her on top of her, as close as possible. Ashlyn knelt on the floor next to her wife’s torso and leaned over to give her another hot kiss. She moved her hands all over the brunette’s undulating body, loving the way her flesh responded to the different types of touches. Ali pulled both her knees up and opened her hips wide as she continued to grab at the blonde. Ashlyn dragged the brunette’s t-shirt up to her neck and moved her mouth down to lick and suck on her gorgeous breasts while her hands continued to tease and caress the rest of her body. The keeper’s right hand finally made it to Ali’s drenched folds, but instead of lingering and teasing, she shoved two fingers inside her wife’s flooded pussy with no warning.

Ali yelled “Ahhh yesss!!” 

Ashlyn moved her mouth up and tried to muffle the brunette’s cries with a kiss as she started thrusting fast and hard. Ali clung to her wife with her right hand behind the blonde’s strong back and moved her left hand down to her own needy clit. The keeper brought her lips back down to her wife’s breasts and started to suck on her nipple, hard.

“Unnnhhhh. Ohhh...Jesus.” Ali’s eyes were closed and her mouth went slack as her whole body rocked with the force of Ashlyn’s strong thrusts. “Unnnhhh. Yeah. Ash.”

The keeper wanted to move down and suck on Ali’s clit but the brunette held her firmly in place with her right hand. In all honesty, Ali’s breasts made Ashlyn nervous these days. They were constantly changing and she was terrified of being too rough with them. They were swollen and sexy as fucking hell but they were tender and sensitive too. They felt like strangers to her every time they had sex during Ali’s pregnancy. But, apparently, at that moment in the nook the brunette wanted her keeper to spend some time on them. So she did, fearful as she was. Ashlyn could feel Ali’s walls starting to clench around her fingers, looking for more friction. She was so fucking wet, maybe two fingers wasn’t enough.

“Do you want a third?” Ashlyn husked out, voice raspy with desire and laboring from the effort.

“Yeah, more...God you feel good inside me.”

The keeper stopped thrusting and slowly added a third finger. Ali released her as she settled into the new addition and tilted her hips a bit more. Ashlyn took advantage of her newfound freedom and kissed her way down her wife’s body as she started to thrust again.

“Mmmmmm. Fuck, yeah” Ali moaned as she felt the friction she had been looking for.

Ashlyn built up her speed again, making sure the brunette was ready for it, and in another couple of minutes she was pounding into her wife’s pussy as fast and hard as she could. Ali was lost in the waves of pleasure she was feeling. She tugged her own breast with her left hand while she gripped Ashlyn’s left forearm with her other. The keeper was licking and sucking and nibbling on the brunette’s clit while her left hand cupped and massaged Ali’s right breast and flicked her nipple with her thumb. They were both sweating and moaning as they moved together towards Ali’s release.

“Mmmmmmm. Mmmmmmm” Ashlyn kept humming against Ali’s clit as she devoured it. “Goddamn you taste good.”

The brunette felt the first tingling of her orgasm and began moaning loudly. It was one long, low moan that just kept building and building as she got closer and closer to coming. A few more flicks of Ashlyn’s hard tongue against her sensitive clit and she was gone. Her long moan climaxed in a short, loud shout as she came hard. Ali squeezed her wife’s forearm as the orgasm hit her. She kicked both her legs out straight and then her entire body started shaking and twitching as she writhed in pleasure. Ashlyn stopped thrusting but kept her fingers inside, moving them slowly in and out. She left her wife’s sensitive nub alone and kissed her way between her hips, licking and nibbling as she went. The blonde saw how Ali held onto her own breast to try and keep it still while she thrashed around and did the same thing with her other breast. As she looked up from the kisses she was leaving, she saw her wife’s beautiful face, flush and full and pink. She had said it to herself a thousand times by now, but there was nothing on the entire earth that was as gorgeous as Ali Krieger having an orgasm. Nothing even came close. She turned her head and rested it on the brunette’s stomach, so she could gaze up at the love of her life as she came down from her high. As her chest slowly stopped heaving and her breathing came back to normal, Ali rubbed her thumb along her wife’s forearm. A smile broke out on her face and then she started to cry. The keeper lifted her head immediately, pulled her fingers out of Ali’s core and moved up towards her head.

“Are you ok baby?” she asked softly.

Ali nodded and tried to open her eyes. Her face still wore the same smile and Ashlyn realized this was probably just one of her stress release cries after sex. It made perfect sense to her as she knelt there pressing soft kisses into her chest and forehead and cheeks and lips. The brunette had just finished the most stressful thing she had ever done not even a week ago. Ashlyn really couldn’t comprehend the amount of stress and worry that her wife had carried with her all year long. She had invested her life savings, their life savings, to get her MBA. She had completed the demanding requirements of the accelerated plan in just one year and had received excellent grades to boot. All of this in the same year that she quit her job and started a brand new chapter of her professional career. If Knight-Harris failed it would be hard to blame anybody else but her wife because she was K-H, at least in the beginning. Ashlyn thought about all of that pressure and knew how hard Ali had pushed herself for twelve long months. She deserved to cry whenever the fuck she felt like it, orgasm or not. And the pregnancy hormones were probably making it seem even more dramatic for her. What a year her incredible wife had been through. New job. New school. Gram’s death. Ashlyn’s own depression. And now she was pregnant too.

“You are the most amazing woman in the whole fucking world” the keeper said sincerely, through tears of her own. “You cry as long as you want baby. As long as you fucking want.”

Ashlyn buried her face in Ali’s neck and hugged her close. The brunette wrapped her arms around her keeper’s back and nuzzled against her in the hug. They stayed like that for several minutes, much longer than they should have, considering their location. 

“Thank you babe” Ali whispered against her wife’s neck. “I love you.”

//

Kyle and Luna came up for the holidays on Wednesday that week and stayed with Nathan in the city. The two couples got all dressed up and went out to a fancy dinner and then The Nutcracker the very next night. Ali swore it was the most beautiful one yet. She didn’t know if it was the hormones finally taking over her senses or if it was the fact that she had a picture of her baby inside her purse at that very moment or if it was her excitement over Kyle and Nathan’s deepening relationship that made that night so special. She was pretty sure it was a combination of all three of those factors. But then she felt Ashlyn reach over and put her warm hand on her thigh and give it a gentle squeeze. That was what it was. It was just that simple. The love between she and her wife was deeper and stronger than it had ever been and, for some reason, being at The Nutcracker brought that all to a head for the brunette. Something about sitting there amidst the beautiful music watching the ballet she had fallen in love with as a little girl and sharing it with the woman she loved and planned a future with made it the perfect storm of emotions. They were reliving her past, in the present, and planning their future together and it was indescribably moving. She couldn’t help it. She felt the hot tears making their way down her cheeks as she watched the last few minutes of the performance.

“Are you ok” the keeper leaned over and whispered in her ear, ever-watchful.

Ali knew she couldn’t speak. It was taking all of her self-control not to burst into sobs. She nodded her head quickly and turned to face her beautiful wife.

“Happy” she choked out and nodded again.

“Me too baby” Ashlyn smiled at her. “Me too.”  
 


	44. Perfection

Becky Krieger must have felt some sort of challenge by Ali and Ashlyn hosting Thanksgiving, because she absolutely insisted on hosting Christmas Eve that year. When Ali and Kyle were growing up the families had alternated Thanksgiving and Christmas between the two Krieger brothers. Each family had stayed at home on Christmas Eve instead of travelling with children. But over the last five to ten years any hosting had been done by Ken, and more recently, Ken and Vicki. Sometimes the Scott Krieger clan came down for Christmas Eve and sometimes they didn’t. They lived in New Hampshire, in the middle, western part of the state in a little town that didn’t have much to offer. It was a two hour drive from Ipswich and Ali hadn’t made a trip there in forever. 

“Let’s just go honey” Ashlyn urged. “We won’t stay too late. And they’ve come down to see us as long as I’ve been around” she explained her stance. “We definitely owe them a visit.”

“I know” the brunette sighed. “You’re right, I just don’t feel like driving all the way up there tonight.” 

“Well I’ve got two things to make you change your mind” the blonde’s eyes sparkled as she turned off the tv in the family room and shifted sideways on the couch so she could face her wife. “Ready?”

Ali couldn’t help but grin at her adorable keeper. 

“Ok, go ahead” the brunette rolled her eyes playfully.

“First of all, little Allie will be there and you love her. We can just hang out with her and ignore everybody else” she offered with a sweet smile.

“That’s true” Ali pursed her lips as if considering the possibility more seriously. “What else?”

“Next Christmas we’ll have our little baby girl and we won’t have to do a single thing we don’t want to do.” She quirked her eyebrow and nodded her head for emphasis. “This is the last year we’ll have to go up there for a very long time.”

“Now you’re talking” the brunette smiled. “People will have to come to us from now on. Man that sounds good, doesn’t it?”

The evening turned out to be quite lovely, after all of Ali’s whining and complaining that continued right up until they pulled into Scott Krieger’s driveway. Everybody was in a good mood and Aunt Becky was as charming as Ali could ever remember her being in her whole life. The brunette spent most of her time with little Allie, and her cousin Rachael, trying to explain to the inquisitive seven year old why her tiny baby bump wasn’t bigger yet. Ashlyn, as usual, was everybody’s favorite conversationalist. Scott and his three sons wasted little time getting her opinion on the Patriots and the playoffs. They asked her what Julian Edelman was really like, when he wasn’t on his best behavior like he had been at their wedding the prior year. Ken, Vicki and her boys spent their time joining in either with Ali or Ashlyn and whomever they were talking with at the time. Kyle and Nathan had stayed in Ipswich to do Christmas Eve with the Kimballs that year. Ali thought it was a convenient excuse to get out of driving to Uncle Scott’s. She wasn’t wrong either. 

It was just after 10pm when they got back to the big old house. Ali had slept almost the whole way which didn’t sound like a big deal, but it was an indicator of a major accomplishment for the blonde and Ashlyn knew it. For the first time ever, Ali let her wife drive them home in the snow. It wasn’t a major storm, but the roads were icy and a light snow was falling all throughout the drive. Ashlyn had been surprised when Ali steered them towards the passenger side door as the keeper walked her wife to the truck.

“Don’t you want to drive?” Ashlyn asked.

“No” Ali answered simply. “You can do it.”

Her reply meant so many things to the blonde. It literally meant that Ali thought she could do it. It meant that she trusted Ashlyn with both of their lives as well as their baby’s. It was probably the most meaningful gift she had ever received from the brunette. That trust had been hard-won and she knew, for Ali to finally give it, much-deserved. Ashlyn had been practicing as much as possible over the last couple of years. Ali had given her all the tips she had learned over her lifetime of driving in winter conditions and prepared her as best she could. The truth was, and the brunette knew this, you never knew how you were going to react to a situation no matter how much you had prepared for it. Ali had taught her the basics and she was ready to rely on Ashlyn’s skill and instincts.

“Thank you sweetheart” Ashlyn said emotionally as she helped her wife into the passenger seat. 

She stood there and watched Ali buckle her seatbelt, not moving a muscle, heart swelling. The brunette realized what was happening and leaned over and gave her wife a tender kiss. 

“I love you too babe.”

As Ali went upstairs to get ready for bed, Ashlyn took the dogs out for a quick walk and then played with them for a little while in the family room. The keeper wondered if they were going to skip their intimate gifts for each other this year. Ali had seemed so tired in the truck and she hadn’t come back downstairs. Maybe they were taking this year off. Just then her phone dinged and she looked down at her text messages.

Aliebe: are you coming up?  
Ashlyn: are you coming down? ;)  
Aliebe: ha ha. Hurry up. Your present is already up here. <3 

Ashlyn had never put the house to bed faster in her life. She turned off all the Christmas lights, watered and unplugged the tree, turned off the candles in the windows, locked the doors, set the alarm, and brought the dogs up and put them in their crates in the bedroom. She couldn’t bear to make them stay alone downstairs after they had been alone all night already. Ali was in the bathroom with the door closed which was unusual but the keeper wasn’t going to dwell on it. She ran back downstairs for a couple of bottles of water and her gift for the brunette and was back in the bedroom before her wife was even out of the bathroom.

“I had a good nap” Ali chuckled as she walked out of the bathroom, embraced her wife and kissed her slowly.

“Oh you did, did you?” Ashlyn grinned after the romantic kiss. “I see you changed into something more comfortable too” she noted the big, fuchsia bathrobe that Ali was wearing, tightly belted and covering almost her entire body.

“I did” the brunette teased, took a step back and twirled slowly around in the unflattering but comfortable robe. “Do you like it?” she purred and then giggled.

“I love it” the keeper answered honestly. “You know you look incredible no matter what you have on” she complimented and moved her hand to try and open the robe a little bit at the top, just under Ali’s chin.

The brunette stepped away and moved to sit on the edge of the bed next to the beautifully wrapped gift Ashlyn had brought upstairs with her.

“Is this for me?”

She made quick work of the wrapping paper and stuck the big red bow on top of her own head, making Ashlyn laugh as she joined her on the edge of the bed. She opened the box and found a new dildo and strap-on harness, both hot pink in color.

“I’m sorry I always get you the same damned thing” Ashlyn spoke quickly and nervously as she fidgeted with wrapping paper Ali had balled up. “I get you a dildo every single year and I can’t believe I didn’t think about that until this very minute. I’m really sorry honey. I’ll get you something different. I got this one because it’s narrower and Dr. Comello said as you get closer to the due date and things get more crowded...”

Ali stopped the nervous prattling with another slow, deep kiss. Ashlyn was right, she had gotten her fiancée and then wife the same thing three years in a row. But they had all been a little different. This one, this slender, pink sex toy with the matching harness was the sweetest one ever.

“Hey” Ali said softly after the kiss, a little breathless. “I’ve loved every one of those dildos sweetheart, every single one.” She cupped her wife’s face and lifted her chin until their eyes met. “But this one, this one is my absolute favorite.” She placed a soft kiss to the keeper’s lips. “Do you want to know why?”

Ashlyn nodded her head slowly, still feeling bad about her unimaginative gift.

“You put a lot of thought and effort into getting all of them. I know you did and I think you know how much I appreciate that.” She smirked a little. “But this one you got for us to use when I’m big and huge and probably not feeling that sexy. And that means everything to me Ash. You’re still going to want me, even when I’m eight or nine months pregnant and cranky and tired and lord knows what else. Trust me honey, there’s nothing in the world you could give me that means more to me than that.”

She choked out the last few words as her emotions started to get the better of her and then gave Ashlyn another tender kiss. Her lips quivered as she pressed them against her keeper’s and she caressed her face with her thumb. 

“I love you so much Ashlyn. Thank you for always being so wonderful” she said with her eyes still closed as she pulled back from the kiss.

“I love you too. And I will always want you Ali. I can’t even imagine a time when I won’t want you. That’s just...impossible.”

Ali kissed her one more time and then stood up and slowly walked three feet away from the bed towards the window by the dressing table. She took a deep breath and turned around to face her wife who was waiting patiently, although a little confused.

“I didn’t wrap my gift for you this year” Ali started, her voice low and seductive. “I hope you don’t mind.”

Ashlyn opened her mouth to ask what the heck she was talking about but then closed it when she saw her beautiful wife open the robe and let it fall to the floor around her feet.

“Holy shit” Ashlyn gulped as she felt her core twitch. Her eyes practically bugged out of her head as they took in the sight in front of her. “My God you’re gorgeous.”

The brunette shifted her weight from one side to the other and struck a pose with one hand on her hip and the other one drifting slowly down the front of her body. She wore a pale blue baby doll lingerie set with white lace trim. The baby doll top looked like a mini bustier with white laces that were straining against her much larger than usual breasts. The silky, diaphanous material that hung from the bottom of the bustier top to just below her hips moved as she started to walk towards the bed. She looked like she stepped out of a porn version of Winter Wonderland with the color scheme of the sexy satin outfit. She stopped halfway to the bed, suddenly realizing she had forgotten something that was sure to be Ashlyn’s favorite part. Ali struck another quick pose and smirked at her wife who hadn’t taken her eyes off of her for a second. The brunette slowly turned around to reveal that the sexy bottom was actually a thong. She bent over very slowly, picked up her robe and tossed it on the back of the dressing table chair. She looked over her shoulder and felt the desire surge throughout her body as she saw the look on Ashlyn’s face.

“Jesus Christ Al” she said in a strained voice as she slowly shook her head, never moving her eyes from her wife’s exposed ass.

The brunette turned to face the keeper and took another step closer to her. She ran both of her hands up her body and stopped them at the bustier where she squeezed and lifted her breasts just to tease her wife some more. Ashlyn swallowed hard but stayed put, knowing Ali had some sort of plan.

“It seemed like such a waste not to showcase these babies while I have them” she explained hotly as she took another step closer, hands still on her own breasts. “Merry Christmas baby.”

Christmas morning was cold and snowy and beautiful. It was like a fairytale or a movie. Light, fluffy snowflakes fell slowly for most of the day, covering everything in a blanket of pure white. They spent the afternoon at Ken’s house with Kyle and Nathan joining them too. It had snowed a lot more up in New Hampshire so the Scott Krieger’s decided not to make the drive down. The day was so pretty and perfect that they all went outside to play in the snow, even Koty and Tanner. Persey, Fred and Luna galloped through the eight inches of snow on the ground and played fetch and chased each other all over the big backyard. Apollo went outside with everybody but he just stood there in his winter coat and watched. Sydney, Dom and Cash came over for a visit, Sandi choosing to stay home and catch up on some sleep. It wasn’t great snow for snowballs or snowmen because it was too dry and fluffy. But it was perfect for snow angels and photographs. This was the afternoon that another of the couple’s favorite pictures ever was taken. Dom took it and it was of Ken’s family. He and Vicki and the boys with Ali and Ashlyn and Kyle and Nathan. Even the four dogs were in it, plopped down in the front in various poses with their tongues hanging out and smiles on their faces. Everyone had a big, genuine smile on their face in that picture. There were rosy cheeks and perfect teeth and adorable dogs, all surrounded by the most beautiful winter scene you could imagine. 

Kyle took a bunch of other great shots of Cash being the cutest baby around. He loved the snow. He had been too little last year to really experience it, but this year he couldn’t get enough. Ashlyn couldn’t remember a time she had laughed so much between the dogs and Cash and their antics. She stepped away from the group and called her brother on Facetime. They all spent the next twenty minutes showing baby John what snow was and introducing him to Cash. Vicki, Sydney and Ali had done their best to make even a small snowman so they could show John that too. It only lasted a few minutes though and Ashlyn got her phone over to it just as the dogs came racing through and Fred wiped the poor pathetic snowman right out in a big explosion of powdery snow. 

It turned out to be one of the very best Christmas Days any of them had spent in a long time. Sandi and Boss joined them and they all just hung out and ate and watched football and soccer and Christmas movies together. Nathan and Kyle finally had to leave to go over to the Kimballs and Ali saw the look of disappointment on her brother’s face. He wasn’t sad about going with Nathan, he was sad about leaving the special day they were having at his dad’s house. Later that evening as they were getting ready to watch ‘A Christmas Story’ Sydney and Ali were snuggled up next to each other on the couch, each with a cup of hot cocoa with marshmallows on top. Ashlyn had just left the room, carrying a sleeping Cash in her arms, carefully stepping over teenage boys and dogs all sprawled out on the floor. She followed Dom into the den where they were going to let the baby sleep for a few hours and helped Dom change his diaper and settle him into his carrier. Ken finished handing out the hot cocoa and Ali patted the spot next to her that her wife had just vacated. He grinned and sat next to his daughter, grateful that she always made time for him and their tradition.

“Is this the best Christmas ever or what?” Ali enthused as she patted her dad’s leg and then switched her cocoa to the other hand so she could pat Sydney’s leg too.

“The best Alibaba” Sydney replied with a squeeze. “The very best.”

//

Ashlyn hadn’t been back to Satellite Beach since her off-week in June. She had gone down to clean out her old room and take anything that she wanted from Gram’s house before Chris and Beth had all the rooms painted. It had been a good visit but terrible at the same time. She couldn’t imagine living in the house. She didn’t know how Chris did it. It would freak her out to live there and have everything be the same way Gram had it. But it would be so hard to make any changes to it too. It was like a trap. Ashlyn knew her brother and Beth were struggling financially and inheriting Gram’s house had been a real help to them. The house was paid for so that was a huge plus right there. The keeper figured when the house was what you’ve got and it was providing shelter for your family you do what you have to do to make it your own. Tammye had come over to help her with her room and they had some good talks and laughs and cries. The keeper came home with an extra suitcase of things from her childhood that she wanted to keep. The rest she wanted to throw away but Tammye wouldn’t let her. She told her daughter that she would thank her one day as she made her store the three boxes in the attic. 

Ashlyn and Ali had thought about going down for Thanksgiving but with the brunette in the final push to complete her MBA it didn’t make sense. The keeper got out of the rental car, two days after Christmas, in front of Gram’s old house and stood there for a minute. Ali stopped a few feet ahead of her and turned around when she realized her wife wasn’t walking with her anymore. She knew this was going to be hard. She just wasn’t sure exactly how hard. They stood in the front entry way of Gram’s old house and hugged Chris and Beth hello. Chris looked embarrassed and Beth seemed nervous.

“Bash, I hope...I um...” he looked anxiously at his wife and then back at his sister.

“We hope you’re ok with the changes we made to Gram’s house” she said quickly. “It was really hard to do but we just couldn’t bear to keep it the way it was” she tried to explain. “It was too much.”

Ali squeezed her wife’s hand and smiled softly at their nervous hosts.

“Hey guys, this is your house now” Ashlyn replied in a steady voice. “Gram wouldn’t want it to be some museum or time capsule. She’d want you to make it your own so you can make your own memories in it.” The blonde was surprised at how much she believed those words now that she was standing there in the foyer. She had an epiphany as she looked at the concern filling her brother’s face.

“Do you really feel that way?” Chris asked, still skeptical.

“Bro, I did the same thing to Grandma Lilian’s house. Why do you think I’d be upset with you doing it here?”

“I don’t know” he stammered, still unsure. “That was different. This was our home.”

Ashlyn stepped forward and hugged her brother. 

“It’s not different, just harder” she said from inside the hug. 

Baby John’s wail came through the baby monitor on the kitchen table and brought an end to the discussion. Beth went upstairs to get her 17 month old son and Ali cleared her throat. She was trapped in the front entry way behind Ashlyn and Chris and she had to pee.

“Oh, geez, I’m sorry Ali” Chris said as the hug ended. “Come in, come in.”

“Sorry” the brunette said as she hurried by the big man and around the corner into the bathroom.

“Pregnant ladies” Ashlyn teased and rolled her eyes as she followed her brother into the house.

She stood next to him, just inside the living room and took it all in. The furniture was Chris and Beth’s from their old house but it was arranged almost the same way Gram’s had been. Which made sense, because it worked well with the way the house was laid out. All of the rooms had been painted, by Chris, and it really helped to freshen up the space. The old carpet had been torn up from the living room and a large room-sized rug had been put down in its’ place, leaving about a foot of hardwood floor showing all the way around it.

“Wow, who knew there were hardwood floors under here?” Ashlyn marveled as she took in the living room.

“Nobody” Chris chuckled.

The changes were all cosmetic but they had made the house feel new. They had kept some of the pictures from Gram’s house and hung them on different walls. And Ashlyn caught her breath when she saw the piece of trim in the kitchen with their old measurements from when they were growing up. 

“You didn’t paint over them” she grinned.

“Nah, that’s history right there” the big man explained with a smile. “We’ll add our kids to it too.”

Ali joined them and took a minute to figure out what they were both looking at so sentimentally. When she finally saw the pen and pencil marks scratched onto the faded white trim with their names and ages next to them she brought her hand up to her mouth and tried to hold back her tears. It was no use. The hormones amplified all of her emotions and she started to cry softly as she leaned into her wife’s side. Ashlyn put her arm around her shoulders and squeezed her.

“It’s ok baby, you can cry if you want to.”

They stood there for another minute, staring and remembering, until Beth came down the stairs carrying John on her hip. Ashlyn turned and her face lit up when she saw her still groggy nephew, just up from his afternoon nap. Beth smiled when her son easily went to the blonde and nuzzled into her neck.

“Hey, wait, what are those marks way down at the bottom?” Ali asked as the siblings turned towards Beth and the baby.

“Oh, those” Chris chuckled as he looked over his shoulder to see what the brunette was talking about. “Ash decided to measure the dog one year.”

“Why am I not surprised” Ali grinned and rubbed her hand across her wife’s back before bringing her attention to baby John.

“I did” Ashlyn said in a sing-song voice, talking right to John who had sat up to look at her face. “But it’s a lot harder than you would think, isn’t it?” she continued. “Yes it is. The doggies never wanted to stand still long enough, did they? No they didn’t. Silly doggies.”

John’s face broke into one big smile as he listened to and watched the keeper’s animated face only a few inches from his. He brought both of his little hands to her cheeks and patted them with a giggle making everybody laugh.

“Are you guys sure you don’t mind us staying here?” Ali asked.

“Us?” Beth chuckled. “I was just going to ask you the same thing. If you’re ok staying in a house with a noisy baby then we’re more than happy to have you.”

“Good” the brunette grinned. “And let us help with him, as much as we can. We’re up for all of it.”

“I don’t know what she’s talking about Johnny, do you?” Ashlyn sing-songed again. “She makes it sound like I’m ever going to let you down. Silly lady. I think I might just hold you forever. What do you think?”

Mike and Tammy came over an hour later and they all enjoyed their delayed Christmas. They opened their gifts and ate Chinese take-out because they didn’t want anybody to feel like they had to cook. They just wanted to be together. 17 month old babies turned out to be much more entertaining to watch open presents than five month old babies had been. Ali watched little Johnny that evening and was surprised at the resentment she felt as she looked at the dimple in his left cheek. She second-guessed herself for the millionth time and wished they had just used Chris’ sperm. Thankfully, her agitation only lasted a few minutes before she snapped out of it and returned to the grateful woman that she usually was. She was so happy just to be pregnant at all and she knew she didn’t really care about the dimple.

Their Christmas gift to Chris and Beth was a night at a nice hotel. They had picked one with a good spa in it so the harried couple could really, truly get away for a little while. After Ashlyn’s luxurious birthday weekend it had been an easy gift to get and give. That also meant that Ashlyn and Ali would be taking care of baby John for almost two full days. They were both excited as well as nervous, but they knew they could do it. They had done several overnights with the different babies in their lives and, although many things had gone wrong or been challenging, there hadn’t been anything they couldn’t handle. So after two days of watching the baby with his parents and getting the feel for his schedule they sent Chris and Beth away for their two day spa retreat. Tammye and Carol offered to help out but Ashlyn told them, politely, that they wanted to do it themselves because they so rarely got to see their godson.

It went well and there were no major issues. The only trouble they had was deciding who got to hold him because they both wanted to, all the time. They got him to bed right on time and managed to get the house cleaned up from the mess they, and he, had made of it that first day by themselves, in time to enjoy a little quiet time of their own. It had only been two nights so far but Ali’s libido was still in overdrive and that was two nights too many without sex. For the first time in her life Ashlyn worried that she might not be able to keep up with someone, sexually. The brunette was operating on an every other night schedule and if the keeper had to maintain that pace for five more months...she was nervous. But she wasn’t going to give up without a fight, that’s for sure. And if she was going to crash and burn, well, what a way to go. 

The next day they caved and let Tammye and Carol come over to the house. Ali reminded her wife that her family wanted to see the blonde while she was in town. It was the warmest of the days so far so they took baby John down to the beach right after lunch. They had a couple of hours before he was supposed to nap. Tammye knew the drill about what to pack for an afternoon at the beach and it was pretty easy to just get up and go. It turned out to be one of Ashlyn’s favorite parts of her visit that holiday. Tammye was more relaxed than she could remember seeing her in years and the blonde was sure it had something to do with Carol being there.

Carol was two years older than Tammye but looked a couple of years younger. She was almost Ashlyn’s height but not quite and she had sandy blonde hair that was shoulder length and naturally curly. She looked like anybody’s 57 year old mom. She had a little bit of extra weight on her but looked fairly fit. She had a nice, easy smile and dark blue eyes. She was tan, but not too tan and she usually wore nice clothes that weren’t too fancy or too casual. Her jewelry was subtle but expensive. It was never flashy or overdone, but you could tell it was the good stuff. No cubic zirconia for Carol. Those diamonds in her earrings were real. She carried herself with a kind of confidence that made her attractive to almost everyone. It was easy to see, at least on the surface, why Tammye had fallen for her. She was smart and capable and, from everything the Harris family had seen over the past year and a half, very kind and generous. All any of the Harrises knew was that she lived in a beautiful beach house in nearby Melbourne Beach; that she had recently relocated from somewhere in Georgia; that she was recently divorced from her husband; that she was a successful Real Estate broker in the Palm Bay area, a couple of towns to the South, who drove a nice car; and that she was good with babies. And Ashlyn knew from talking with her mom about it during Championship week in October that Carol had never dated women before either.

Once Johnny had gone to sleep, safely under the sun tent, the four women sat around and talked. They chatted lazily about Ali’s pregnancy and her family and their plans for New Year’s Eve in Miami. Eventually the topic of conversation turned to the newest couple and how they met.

“We met at work, all of a sudden she started showing up at my office every day” Carol said with a smile as she nodded at Tammye. “I remember thinking what a nice, friendly smile she had.”

Tammye was a full-time temporary employee for a temp agency in Melbourne doing office work. She had been doing it for almost ten years and she loved it. She was her company’s ace employee. She was the one they sent out for the long-term assignments, some jobs lasted six months, others up to a full year. But she was paid by and worked for the temp agency. Some of the companies had tried to hire her away over the years and she had been tempted to accept a couple of times. But she loved that her job changed a few times a year. That way she never got bored.

“We hit it off and became friends pretty quickly” Tammye added, smiling back at her girlfriend. “And that’s all there was to it for over a year and a half.”

“So what changed?” Ali asked from her beach chair, under her floppy sun hat. She and Ashlyn were sitting next to each other and the keeper had her hand on her wife’s thigh. “I mean, was one of you hiding a crush for a while or...”

Tammye blushed and looked down and Carol grinned and glanced at her before replying. 

“That would be me” she admitted with a guilty little smile. “Although I didn’t understand it at the time. I don’t know how it was for you girls when you were figuring these things out, but imagine trying to do it after you’d had 35 years of believing you were only going to be with men.”

“I can’t even begin to think about how scary that must have been” Ali replied sincerely. “I’m just so impressed that you didn’t chicken out!” she laughed along with everyone else.

“I pretty much did for about six months. But, again, I really didn’t know it. All I knew was that night, back in August when I drove her home after the movie, I just had to kiss her. It was the only thought in my entire brain. I’m surprised I could even drive the car at that point.” She chuckled and looked at Tammye again with such tenderness in her eyes that Ali started to get choked up. “Thank God she said yes.”

“Wait, you asked her if you could kiss her?” the brunette clarified, eyes getting watery. “Oh my God that’s so romantic.”

“You and your hormones better just settle down now” Tammye chided playfully as she patted Ali’s other knee.

“It’s not just my hormones” the brunette replied. “That’s just really sweet and I think it’s so great that you were both brave enough to see what would happen. I love that story.”

Later that night after Chris and Beth had returned and they had all enjoyed a nice dinner together, including Tammye and Carol and Mike, Ali asked her wife why she had been so quiet at the beach that afternoon.

“I don’t get why you’re not happy for your mom, that’s all” Ali clarified after Ashlyn still hadn’t answered her question.

“I am happy for her. I’m very happy for her. I’ve never seen her so...at peace before.” The keeper climbed over the brunette to get to her side of her childhood, full-size bed. “And she knows that. I’ve told her.”

“So what, is it like some intimidation thing with Carol? Are you being the tough guy so Carol knows there’ll be consequences if something goes wrong?”

“No, really Al, I like her. I like her more than I want to, trust me.” She lay on her back and let her wife snuggle into her side as they continued to talk in quiet voices. “I just don’t like talking about my mom’s love life I guess. I don’t know.”

“Oh, well that makes sense. I didn’t think about it like that before” Ali pursed her lips in thought. “But you don’t have a problem with her being with a woman, right?”

“Of course I don’t have a problem with it. What kind of lesbian would I be if I didn’t like my mom being with another woman?” the keeper chuckled and kissed Ali’s head. “They’d revoke my membership!”

“And come take the toaster oven back too” the brunette added.

They both giggled and Ali tilted her head up for a real kiss, which Ashlyn was only too happy to give.

They spent five days in Satellite Beach and enjoyed every minute of it. They had arrived on Thursday and then drove to Miami on Monday morning, New Year’s Eve. It was cooler that year than it had been for the past several Christmases, but Ashlyn still managed to surf every morning with either her brother or her father. Ali went with them twice but didn’t surf. She propped herself up on the beach and watched everything with eager eyes. The more she surfed and learned about surfing the more she appreciated how beautiful it was. When they were done surfing on those two days when Ali joined them, Chris or Mike left and got on with their days. Ashlyn came in to shore and took her wife back out with her so they could sit together on her board and just be still in the water for a little while. The keeper swore, in those moments on the water with Ali and their baby, that she could feel her heart growing and expanding inside her chest. She sat behind her beautiful brunette with her arms around her waist, one hand on her tiny baby bump. The world felt perfect for those twenty minutes or so. It didn’t matter that she still ached for Gram, or that she worried about fighting off more young goalkeepers for another year. She didn’t care that her dad looked like he had aged ten years instead of one since last Christmas or that her mom seemed like she was falling head over heels in love with a woman that none of them knew very much about. Nothing mattered except her little family, right there on that surfboard, bobbing in the waves. It was perfection.


	45. Victory

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter. Stay tuned for Part 4.  
> p.s. I can't help but enjoy the Allie Long Instagram takeover. It appears that real Ali calls Ashlyn babe, just like our Ali does in this fic.

New Year’s Eve was as fun as ever with the Christophers. Ali had been nervous that whatever troubles her mom and Mike were having would make their visit weird or uncomfortable, but it didn’t happen. Deb was her usual fun-loving and generous self and Mike did what he always did, which was play a lot of golf and nap. Deb had explained years ago that his finance job was very high stress so when he had down time he really crashed. It never bothered her as long as he made time for her as well. And he knew that when Kyle or Ali came to visit that they were Deb’s top priority, and he was fine with that too. It had always seemed like a good, solid, loving relationship and Ali had never had any reasons to doubt it. But after talking with her mom at Thanksgiving she started to worry about them. The brunette knew there was nothing she could do one way or the other about it. She just promised herself that she would check in with her mom more often about it, just in case she needed or wanted to talk. Once she had married Ashlyn, her relationship with her mom had changed, deepened. It was as if Ali had gained entrance into the marriage club and was privy to another level of conversation that had otherwise been restricted to other married people. She hadn’t noticed it with Sydney, but that’s because they shared everything. But she felt the depth change with Niki and Molly too, in a good way. There were knowing looks and glances and eye-rolls exchanged now when something came up regarding a spouse or marriage in general. It conveyed the idea that Ali could now finally understand what was really going on because she had joined the married lady club. It had annoyed her when she first noticed it. She was a little hurt or miffed that her mom or Molly hadn’t trusted or respected her enough to share whatever the issue was with her before because she was single. But then, the longer she was married, the more she started to understand. There were things that you really just had no way of understanding until you were married. All of the clichés about choosing your battles and compromising and learning when to let things go – they were all true and part of a successful marriage. She had only been married for sixteen months but she got it now. Marriage was hard and it took effort and patience and forgiveness and understanding and kindness and strength and compassion to make it work. And that could be daunting at times, especially after the year they had just had. Several people had told her, as if they really knew what it had been like for Ali or Ashlyn, that 2018 would stand out as one of the toughest years of their marriage for many many years to come. They were trying to be nice, Ali knew this, but it still annoyed her. Vicki, Molly, her own mom all trying to tell her what her year had just been like as if she hadn’t just struggled through it her damned self. She bit her tongue and focused on the fact that they were genuinely trying to be supportive and that allowed her to just smile and let them say what they needed to say. 

The upside of all of the effort that marriage took, at least as far as the brunette could tell after sixteen fairly difficult months, was the complete devotion she felt within her relationship with her wife. She knew that Ashlyn loved her and was devoted to her before they even got engaged. She had never doubted it. But the level or intensity of that devotion was what had changed. Ali never knew she could feel so safe and so protected and so cared for and so worshipped as she did once they were officially married. That ring and the ceremony made a difference to both of them. And the safety she felt wasn’t just a physical, bodily thing. More importantly, it was an emotional feeling that got stronger every single day. The brunette knew that she could tell Ashlyn anything, reveal anything, ask for anything, share anything that she could possibly imagine and her keeper would accept her no matter what it was. Ali knew that it was safe to talk to her wife about anything in the world, or her heart or her brain. That was the most incredible part of being married. She would never have to face anything alone again, unless she wanted or needed to. She could turn to her wife and rely on her for strength and courage and support whenever she needed it and for whatever reason. It was a powerful gift that they had given to each other and it truly grew stronger with each passing day. 

They arrived at Deb’s house around lunchtime on New Year’s Eve and sat with her at her kitchen table and talked and ate lunch together. They weren’t going to rush over to the club because they weren’t going to participate in too many of the games that year. Deb and Ashlyn hadn’t discussed it but they both knew that if Ali got close to the games it would be hard to keep her from joining in. The woman didn’t have a half-speed when it came to competing. So they relaxed and enjoyed catching up on Christmas and Satellite Beach.

“So how hard was it to see Gram’s house now honey?” Deb asked half-way through their lunch chat, reaching over to touch Ashlyn’s arm as she spoke.

The keeper finished chewing and sighed. “It was really hard, but really good. I think it was important for me, and probably for all of us, to reclaim that space and make it something we could move forward in, you know?”

“For what it’s worth, I think she would want you to do just that” Deb spoke sincerely. “I know she’s proud of you kids for doing that. I know she’s happy her home is still such an important part of the family and always will be.”

“Chris and Beth did a nice job too” Ali added. “It’s not like they junked everything and started from scratch. I really love the way they kept a lot of her things and switched them up.” She looked towards her wife for agreement and continued. “But the fresh paint and the new rug in the living room, it feels like a brand new house almost.”

“They were so nervous to show it to me” Ashlyn shared with a small smile. “If it wasn’t so sad it would have been really funny.”

“Oh my God mom, they barely even let us in the door before they both started hemming and hawing and trying to tell Ash that they hoped she liked it” Ali giggled. “It was really sweet.” She smiled at the blonde. “They really wanted her approval, but they had done such a good job.”

“Yeah, they nailed it” Ashlyn said with a relaxed smile on her face.

“And how’s your dad doing?” Deb asked the keeper. “Is he still having a hard time?”

“I think he’s still really struggling. I think he was doing pretty good there for a couple of months but then the holidays really hit him hard.” Ashlyn looked down at her empty plate and absent-mindedly pushed a small crumb around with her finger. “I surfed with him a few mornings but didn’t see him as much as I would have liked. He didn’t come around as much as I expected him to.”

“I wonder why?” Deb questioned thoughtfully. “I would have thought he’d be around a lot.”

“I think he’s having a hard time about Carol” Ali offered as she got up and cleared the table.

“Here, honey, let me...” the keeper started.

“I’m fine. I’m pregnant, not disabled” Ali chuckled. “Just relax, you did all the driving. Do you want a beer?” she asked and opened the fridge. “God, a beer sounds perfect to me right now.”

“That does sound good” Ashlyn chuckled. “But I don’t want to torture you.”

“Please, have a beer” the brunette pulled one out of the fridge, opened it and set it down in front of her wife. “Mom?”

“Sure, what the hell” Deb laughed as her daughter got her a beer too. “So, what do you mean he’s having trouble with Carol?”

Ashlyn was quiet as Ali finished loading the dishwasher with their plates and answered her mother’s question.

“Well, I just think he’s a little thrown by it. Like, he doesn’t know how to take it or what to do with it. I think he stayed away from the house because he didn’t want to see Tammye or maybe see them together.”

“What do you mean?” Ashlyn asked as she drank more of her beer. “You think he’s mad at my mom for dating somebody else or for dating a woman?”

“I don’t think he’s mad at her” Ali tried to explain as she got out a bowl of fruit salad and put it on the table with three smaller bowls and spoons. “I think he’s confused. Every guy I’ve ever heard of that has gone out with someone who then realized she was gay has had a real problem with it.” She sat down again with a jar of dill pickles and took a big bite out of one and chased it with a fresh strawberry as the two other women stared at her. “Hey, you two just enjoy your damned beer and leave me alone.”

“I never thought about it like that before” Ashlyn admitted after laughing at her wife’s disgusting food combination. “I wish you’d said something earlier. I could have talked to him about it.”

“Oh I’m pretty sure he doesn’t want to talk to his daughter about this one” Deb quirked her eyebrow. “Maybe Chris but that might not work either. Does he have any guy friends that he’s close with like that?”

“I can’t think of anybody he would talk to about trying to deal with turning my mom gay” Ashlyn joked. “And you’re right Al, that’s probably what’s bothering him. We all found out in October and that’s when he started having a hard time again.”

“I could have Ken or Mike try and talk to him” Deb offered with a shrug of her shoulders.

“What about Kyle?” Ali asked as she shoved a chunk of watermelon into her mouth. “He’s already helping him with his AA stuff. Maybe he can do it?”

“She’s a genius! Deb, your daughter is a freaking genius!” Ashlyn exclaimed as she leaned over and gave Ali a kiss.

Ali stopped chewing her watermelon and hummed into the sweet kiss. “Mmmmmm, you taste like beer” she pulled back and licked her lips as she swallowed the fruit in her mouth. “Kiss me again.” She pulled the blonde closer and gave her a real kiss as Deb chuckled.

“Ugh, pickles and fruit do not go with beer” Ashlyn complained with a grimace. “Or together. Blech.”

“Excuse me?” Ali cocked her head and quirked her eyebrow.

“Um, nothing. I’m glad you’re enjoying your, dessert, or whatever honey” Ashlyn answered quickly and gave her wife another sweet kiss.

“That’s better” the brunette grinned and caressed her keeper’s face. “Much better.”

//

Ali needed to lie down for a little bit before they left for the club. It was going to be a long night and if she had any hope of staying awake until midnight she would need at least a short nap. When Ashlyn went up to the guest room an hour later to check on her wife, she was glad to see the brunette still sleeping. Ali was in the middle of the bed and lying on her right side, with a pillow behind her back so she wouldn’t roll over flat on her back. Once you got past four months it could be harmful to sleep flat on your back because it put too much pressure on important blood vessels for both Ali and the baby. Ashlyn sat on the bed by her wife’s butt and gently put her hand on Ali’s hip. She caressed her hip and butt and back until the brunette groaned and yawned.

“Hey baby, I’m sorry but we’ve gotta leave in about an hour” the keeper said softly and kissed her wife’s upper thigh.

“Ok” Ali’s voice was sleepy and thick. “Are you sure you don’t just want to snuggle up with me instead?”

“I’d love that and if that’s what you...”

“I’m just kidding” Ali stretched out both of her legs and rolled as flat as she could on the pillow behind her back. “There’s no way we’re missing two New Year’s Eves in a row” she said definitively, remembering the prior year when they didn’t go on their honeymoon and drove to Florida on New Year’s Day instead. “It’s your favorite honey.”

Ali reached her hand down and Ashlyn gave her one of hers to hold as they smiled at each other. When Ali stretched her shirt had moved up a little bit and Ashlyn could see a two inch span of bare skin between it and the top of her stretchy pants. She moved her other hand to it and pulled the top of Ali’s pants down just inside of her left hip. The brunette blinked her eyes adoringly at her wife as the keeper leaned down and kissed the tattoo there, right on Ali’s sweet spot.

“Don’t start anything you can’t finish now” the brunette warned.

“I’m not, I just love this one so much, I can’t help it.”

During the dark trying times of 2018 both women had gotten tattoos. Ashlyn hadn’t gotten any other big pieces done, but she had filled in both her lower right leg and her right forearm in a series of appointments starting in April with Naomi. She had just finished the last addition in November. It was the decorative scrollwork and vinework around and among the big pieces that completed her half-sleeve and her lower leg. The blonde had added a small lake-scene to the skull with the headdress tattoo on her lower right leg along with Gram’s maiden name, ‘Holatka’, in a cool but small script underneath the skull. She had also added Gram’s initials and date of birth and date of death in three different places throughout her left side tattoo of all of the flowers and butterflies. Ashlyn added in a small likeness of the Hammond Castle’s keep with a tiny princess coming down the steps on her right forearm and a chain with twenty links in it that wove around her forearm among the other ink with a ‘BB’ at one end and a championship cup at the other end. All of those elements were small and positioned in with the rest of the filler work and dissolved into the half sleeve and her leg tattoo. And she had begun to add more nautical elements to her filler tattoos: an anchor, a nautical compass, an old fashioned life preserver, a buoy, a ship’s wheel. They were all small and worked in among the other bigger pieces to fill the space.

Ali had been trying to figure out what she wanted to get done and where for almost two years. She knew she wanted a tattoo for her keeper and she wanted it to be meaningful and special. She took her time and finally, when they came home from their vacation in May, she went to Naomi and started working on the design with her. Choosing the spot on her body had been just as difficult. She was very tempted to put the tattoo on her ass because Ashlyn loved it so damned much. She thought about putting it above her heart or under her left breast. But the more she thought about it the clearer it had become. It needed to go in the place where her wife could drive her wild with a single, simple touch – the sweet spot by her left hip. It wasn’t quite the mirror image location of her Penn State tattoo, but pretty close. The tattoo was mostly all black ink again, like her others, but it had a couple of shades of blue in it as well, with some white at the top. It was about three inches wide by an inch and a half high at its’ highest point. She had gotten a breaker, a cresting wave, viewed from a sideways angle. As you looked at it, it was moving from left to right with a smaller wave just in front of it and a big curling, frothy crest that was about to crash down onto the ocean again as it made its’ way towards shore. There were calmer, flatter lines leading up to it at the left edge and again at the right edge of the tattoo. The curling wave itself was the biggest part of the tattoo and it had two different shades of blue coloring it.

She had wanted it to be a surprise for her wife so she waited until the Breakers had their four game away streak in the month of June. They also had a week off in the middle of those four games because of the FIFA dates and Ashlyn had gone to Satellite Beach to clean out her room so the brunette actually had a very good chance of keeping it on the down low until it was all healed up. She almost made it but they still couldn’t go very long without having sex so the keeper saw it when it was two weeks old and still flaking a little bit. She had just returned from her emotional trip to Satellite Beach.

“What the...Al...” the blonde looked up at her wife’s face and tried to process what her eyes were seeing on her beautiful brunette’s body. “What’s this?” she finally asked breathlessly.

They had just started fooling around and Ashlyn was already naked and about to get her wife in the same condition. Ali was laying on her back and had successfully kept her t-shirt on while her wife stripped her shorts and panties off of her. On Ashlyn’s way back up the brunette’s body she pushed the t-shirt up, not understanding why Ali hadn’t just taken it off herself already. And that’s when she had seen it. She sat up abruptly and looked expectantly at her wife.

“It’s a tattoo silly” Ali teased as she pulled her t-shirt all the way off. “Why don’t you get the moisturizer and you can help me out tonight.”

As the keeper carefully rubbed the moisturizer into the tattoo Ali couldn’t help the moan that slipped past her lips. She was helpless when it came to Ashlyn and her sweet spot.

“When did you get this? It’s beautiful, it’s just... beautiful honey.”

“A couple of weeks ago” Ali answered and tried to steady herself so she could explain what it meant to her without lust clouding her mind. “Do you really like it or are you just saying that?”

“Ali” the blonde’s voice was low and serious as she finished moisturizing the delicate new tattoo. “I love it. I can’t even tell you how much I love it.” She swallowed hard. “And...and, it’s in my spot. You did that on purpose?” she asked, just to be sure.

“Definitely. That one is just for you Ashlyn. I can’t think of the ocean without thinking of you. And I can’t imagine you without the sea. I just had to figure out how I wanted it to look.”

“It looks awesome.”

“And the curl makes me think of you surfing on your ocean and being the happiest you possible.”

Ashlyn looked like she was fighting off tears as she knelt down to look even closer at the tattoo. Ali sat up and pulled her wife closer so she could touch her arm and feel connected to her at that moment.

“But the part that means the most to me, and the reason why I got it in the first place, is that you are the wave.” The brunette took a breath to calm her own emotions which had surprised her as she tried to explain her wave to her love. “You always say how much you hate leaving me all the time, when you have to travel...”

“God I hate leaving you” Ashlyn shook her head slowly as she listened to her wife’s steady voice.

“But you always come back babe. You always come back to me. Just like the waves. They ebb and flow and get pulled by the moon, but they always come back to the shore.”

Ashlyn couldn’t hold her tears back any longer and they fell down her cheeks as she looked up at her wife. Ali smiled at her and felt her own tears start to spill out. They kissed and hugged and cried for a few minutes more before Ali pulled back and held her keeper’s face in both of her hands. Their eyes met and Ali kissed the blonde once more.

“You’re my wave.”

//

 

The theme for New Year’s Eve at the club this year was New Orleans ragtime and jazz. It was probably the most fun theme that Ashlyn and Ali had been to so far. The weather wasn’t as hot as in previous years either so they didn’t get quite as sweaty as usual. For the first time in a very long time, Ali regretted being pregnant. The bars were serving awesome cocktails that had been invented in New Orleans and the dancing was more popular and active than usual because the music was fantastic. Ashlyn danced with her wife about half as much as the brunette wanted but it was a fair deal. Ali retreated to their table with Deb and Mike and sipped her virgin Hurricane cocktail as they laughed and enjoyed each other’s company. Before they had gone up to the ballroom for dancing they had strolled around the club and participated in some of the activities. All four of them were able to participate in the lawn games that were set up all around the grounds. They played darts, not lawn darts but real darts. They played croquet. They played giant jenga. And they played dominoes. Ali was surprised by how much fun they had playing even those more sedate games. And everyone was surprised at how well Ali had taken losing almost every game she played.

“Who are you and what have you done with my wife?” Ashlyn teased with her favorite joke.

“Don’t” Ali whined softly as they hugged before going down to the beach to eat dinner. “I don’t know why I’m so uncoordinated while I’m pregnant” she said softly as Ashlyn kissed her cheek. “But don’t tease me about it. I feel silly enough already.” 

Her voice was almost fragile as she pleaded with her keeper. Ashlyn was amazed to realize that her wife wasn’t mad about losing, well she was but that wasn’t the primary emotion, she was uncomfortable with her body. Ali couldn’t put the words together to explain it very well, but the blonde figured it out in a flash. 

“It’s ok sweetheart” she murmured against Ali’s ear as she held her. “Your gorgeous body’s busy doing more important things right now, that’s all. It’ll be back to its’ normal, ultra-coordinated self next year. You’ll see.”

It was moments like that when Ali loved her wife the most. For some unexpected reason, she had been self-conscious about her pregnant body and unable to really vocalize her feelings very well. But Ashlyn understood and, as always, said just the right thing to make her feel accepted, loved, beautiful and validated all at the same time.

“God I love you Ashlyn.”

Dinner was delicious but Ali had to be careful that everything was cooked well. The food at the club was always incredible but big cookouts could sometimes mean some foods were a little undercooked and that was bad for pregnant ladies. Ashlyn helped her pick out the cod filet that looked the best and Deb helped her pick out the shrimp. The brunette knew better than to protest and she finally just let them do it, selecting her own vegetables and sides when they were done mothering and wifing her. When Ashlyn sat down to eat she put a plate with a nicely grilled chicken breast on it between she and her wife on the table.

“Just in case” she smiled sweetly and patted Ali’s thigh. “And, you’re not going to believe the desserts” she began. “They’re just setting them out now. They look goooood.”

After the dancing they went for their now annual walk on the beach, just the two of them, before the fireworks started. They held each other around the waist and walked through the cool sand, staying out of the chilly water that year. 

“Are you cold baby? I can run to the car and get your sweatshirt.”

“I’m ok, just don’t let go” Ali smiled back and squeezed her keeper as they walked slowly away from the crowd.

Neither of them said anything for almost five minutes. They just walked along, enjoying the salt air and the cool breeze coming off the water. The sound of the sea and the surf always mesmerized both women. It was like a separate language that they both understood and responded to. Ashlyn could remember other girlfriends from her past who didn’t ‘get’ the ocean. They never understood or appreciated how mysterious and beautiful it was or how it had a hold on the blonde’s soul like nothing else in the world. Nothing had ever soothed Ashlyn like the sea. Not ever. Ali’s touch was the only thing that came close. No matter what the hurt was, whether it was physical or emotional or mental or some combination, she always felt better by the sea. It healed her in ways that nothing else could. If you were ever looking for Ashlyn and couldn’t find her, just go to the nearest ocean and that’s where she would be. Gram and Chris had learned it when she was very young. Whitney had learned it in college. And Ali had learned it a few years ago. Just this past year, when everything was so much harder than ever before, if the brunette ever needed to find her wife she would walk down to the beach. Ashlyn would be there, sitting in the sand with her face upturned catching the breeze off of the ocean. Or she might be up on the big rock if she had felt motivated to haul herself up there. Sometimes she was standing knee deep in the surf, letting the spray splash up under her chin. If it was warm enough she’d be swimming in the sea or floating in it. No matter which position or place she was found in she always had the same peaceful, almost cherubic look on her face when she turned to Ali and opened her eyes. Ali had never known a person to be so connected to the ocean before. For the brunette, she would never be able to think of one without thinking immediately of the other. It had become an automatic connection in her brain and her heart and she loved that in a world where so many things changed so quickly, she knew that her keeper would always be one with the sea. It was comforting and reassuring for Ali. And for Ashlyn, she was thrilled that the person who had stolen her heart forever loved and appreciated and ‘got’ the ocean. Ali understood how magical and mystical it was and she knew it could heal almost anything. They stopped walking after several more minutes and turned to face the waves sliding up the sand towards their feet.

“Sometimes I just want to forget this year ever happened” Ashlyn said quietly, looking straight ahead into the dark depths. “Just really wipe it out and be thankful we got through it and just move the fuck on.”

Ali gave her a little squeeze and leaned her head against her shoulder as she listened.

“But then I think about all of the amazing things that happened this year too and it pisses me off that I can’t just block it from my mind forever. It pisses me off you know.”

“Yeah, but that’s a perfect example of life right there in one really fucking hard year. Right?” Ali asked softly, not wanting to jostle her wife out of where her head was at.

“The only bad thing was losing Gram. When I really think about it” Ashlyn kept going. “It was the worst thing ever and it almost destroyed me, but it didn’t. And, I think, part of the reason I made it through was because of all the amazing things. They just started piling up, one after another. And now here we are at the end of this fucking year and I don’t hate it anymore. How could I hate a year that brought us the best news in our whole lives?” she paused and placed her free hand on Ali’s small baby bump. “And how could I hate a year where Whit got engaged and Cash and Johnny and Noah and Meg all got bigger and better? How could I hate a year when we won the Championship? How could I hate a year when Chris and Beth saved their shop and Gram’s house and my dad too? How could I hate a year when our business grew stronger and made us more money than we thought it ever could? How could I hate a year when my unbelievable wife was more fucking incredible than ever before? I mean, really Al, look at what you did this year. Have you stopped to do that yet?” the keeper looked over at her wife and kissed her forehead leaning against her shoulder. “You ran our company for us, saved me from losing all hope and disappearing into who knows what sort of hell, and in all your free time you just busted your ass and your brain and got your goddamned MBA too. I mean, really Ali?”

They turned and hugged and held each other for another few minutes as they heard the fifteen minute warning for the countdown to start.

“I honestly do not know how you did everything you did this year honey, I may never understand it as long as I live. But thank you. Thank you for all of it.” She pressed a kiss into Ali’s cheek. “I’m so lucky you walked in on me that very first day” she chuckled. “And I’m so lucky that you never ever gave up on me. I just love you so much, all these dumb words don’t come close to explaining it.”

Ashlyn brought their lips together in a deep kiss, filled with all of the emotions she had just tried to describe. When they pulled back they both had tears on their cheeks and devotion in their eyes.

“You’re the amazing one sweetheart” Ali began, choking up almost instantly. “Nobody knows how awful this year was for you, but you. And nobody knows how hard it was for you to keep fighting through it, but you. That’s what I’ll remember most about this year babe. You. You never fucking quit on us, or yourself or any of it. You fought with everything you had and you made it through. That, to me, is incredible.” She paused and sniffled. “I feel like we won this big battle. I feel like I want to hang this year up on the wall like a trophy that we can tell war stories about for the rest of our lives. 2018 tried to take us down and we didn’t let it.”

“That’s right” Ashlyn agreed with a grin.

Then ten minute warning sounded over the loudspeakers and they slowly started to walk back towards the crowd and the chairs gathered for the fireworks. They were still arm-in-arm and walking as close together as possible, not wanting any space between them.

“I miss her so much” Ashlyn sighed and wiped the tears off of her face as they walked.

“I know babe. I miss her too, but you know what?”

“What?”

“I feel her with us all the time.”

“You do?”

“I do. I think she’s up there working with us. I know she got me through my classes, that’s for sure. Every time I wanted to quit or give up I just thought about her and what she would say to me if I could pick up the phone and call her. And I swear Ash, sometimes I could almost hear her voice.”

“That’s awesome” the keeper smiled. “I did the same thing a million times” she chuckled. “And I know she helped us get pregnant. I just know she made that happen.”

“You’re probably right” Ali agreed with another squeeze and a smile. 

The five minute warning blared across the beach and they started looking for Deb and Mike and their chaise lounge chairs. Ashlyn finally saw Deb and grinned when she saw that her sweet mother-in-law had brought their sweatshirts down for them.

“Deb, you’re the best” she said as she bent down and kissed her cheek. “Thank you so much.”

Ashlyn put her sweatshirt on as Ali kissed her mom in thanks and then helped her wife into hers as they took their seat on the chaise lounge with only a minute to spare.

“No swimming this year?” Deb teased and laughed.

“Nope” Ali replied. “Just a nice walk and a good talk” she looked up at her wife and Ashlyn smiled back at her.

They had to use a different position this year because they didn’t want to squish the baby. Ashlyn sat up straight in the chair and reclined the back about 45 degrees. Then Ali sat between her legs and leaned back against her strong wife, resting the back of her head on Ashlyn’s shoulder.

“Are you sure I’m not too heavy” Ali asked quickly but Ashlyn didn’t answer. She just wrapped her arms around the brunette’s stomach and gently pulled her back until they were both relaxed and comfortable. Ali tilted her head up for a kiss and the keeper gave her one. “I love you Ash.”

“I love you too princess.”

The countdown began and everybody chanted along with the voice over the loudspeaker. “10, 9, 8...”

Ali looked over at her mother and was pleased to see her snuggled up with Mike, both looking happy and relaxed. 

“7, 6, 5...”

The brunette felt her baby bump with her two fingers that weren’t holding onto Ashlyn’s arm around her waist. She wondered what this all must sound like to her little, unborn baby. 

“It’s ok baby, you’re going to hear your first fireworks tonight” she mumbled and caressed her bump.

“4, 3, 2...”

Ali squeezed her wife’s hand and brought it up to her lips so she could press kisses into it.

“1! Happy New Year!!!”

The brunette tilted her head up again and felt Ashlyn’s lips close around her own in a slow kiss. She clutched her keeper’s hand against her chest and they both put a hand on Ali’s baby bump at the same time. They pulled apart and grinned at each other.

“Happy New Year baby” the keeper said and kissed her wife again.

They settled back to watch the fireworks display, both keeping their hand protectively on the baby bump. As they watched all the colors explode against the dark sky they could both feel how special the night was. After their talk on the beach it felt like their own celebration for making it through the year and coming out on top. Neither of them thought all the good things could have been possible back in the dark times of March and April. But just look at them now. 

“I want to name her after Gram” Ashlyn spoke softly into her wife’s ear as they both looked up at the sky. “Can we do that?”

“Of course we can honey” Ali turned her head up and smiled at the blonde. “I think that’s a perfect idea.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This should be a link to Ali's wave tattoo...
> 
> http://nenuno.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Wave-Tattoo-Dsign-2.jpg


End file.
